Failure
by Greys
Summary: The Third Ninja War is coming to an end. Namikaze Minato is sent to Grass for a simple mission but when he meets a four-year-old boy named Itachi, he gets more than he bargained for. Minato/Kushina, Fugaku/Mikoto
1. Mission

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto _and its characters. No matter how much I wish for it.

**A/N: **I'm fully aware that this story will soon become AU, nevertheless, let's pretend for a minute that this is what happened. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if it came true.

Major thanks for my beta- RocknKitty; not only for correction of my vocabulary and grammar but also for ideas and objectivity.

And without further ado, read and enjoy.

* * *

Chapter One: Mission

Namikaze Minato wasn't happy at the moment. To tell the truth: he was positively fuming, so much in fact that random villagers stirred clearly away from the usually cheery jonin.

The shinobi in question felt quite justifiable in his behavior. Who would in their right mind would stay calm if just minutes prior was interrupted when doing some very pleasurable activities with your fiance? Granted, the oh-so-cryptic message _"Hokage-sama wants to see you NOW" _was given to him by one of the ANBU, which spelled "_**URGENT**_" with big bold letters, so he probably should man up and hiraishin to the Hokage Tower right about now.

Minato hoped Kushina already welcomed their messenger into their humble abode.

By chopping a ball or two.

He sighed. The Third Ninja War was at the end. Slowly the village stopped resembling a military base and started to look like the village he knew and loved. There were of course battles still raging on, minimal though and done half-heartily. He figured everybody was tired of the war and couldn't wait to return to their families.

He sighed again. '_Hopefully the mission won't be war-related...'_

* * *

Today was _so_ NOT his day.

"You want me to go to Grass, again, may I add, to help take care of some deranged group of violent fanatics from Iwagakure? And you want me to do it now?!"

Sandaime Hokage sighed. Minato was normally an obedient and professional shinobi, but sometimes he acted too much like his sensei. Strangely enough, it was usually caused by interruption of his quality time with one Uzumaki Kushina. Or maybe it was because he didn't get a decent night of sleep for the past week. Or perhaps because his Hokage nomination was finally getting to him. Or maybe it was Kushina's influence. The Hokage winced at the thought of a second Kushina running around his precious village.

"I'm sorry Minato, but I want to end this quickly with minimal damage on our side and you... well..." Sandaime trailed off.

Minato sighed (he seemed to do a lot of this). Being the best isn't all it was cracked up to be. Especially when you are famous for your speed. Speed of ending your battles that is.

"I understand I head out alone?" said Minato, no longer angry.

"Yes. A group of our shinobi is already there. They will fill you in on enemy's position and numbers'  
Sandaime was relieved. He really didn't want to bother Konoha Yellow-Flash, but _taichou_from the squad stationed in Grass sent a message requesting back-up. At least he knew, with Namikaze Minato, the future Hokage, none of his men would die.

"I'm sorry to bother you with this but-"

"No need. I understand." Minato smiled. "I'm still just a jounin, I need to do my job. And it's fitting I guess. A Hokage candidate ending the last fight of this war… It has a nice ring to it."

Sarutobi laughed. "As if you need more fame! Off you go!"

Minato was already out of Hokage Tower when he heard Sandaime yell: "Give my regards to Kushina!", accompanied with sounds of closing windows, moving furniture, throwing chains at the walls and barricading the door.

Minato snorted "Regards from Hokage, love."

"I heard him."

Minato turned. Before him stood a kunoichi with waist-length fiery red hair and green eyes. There was something in her hands, which looked suspiciously like a mixture between giant shuriken and a chainsaw.

Minato raised an eyebrow. "That's for me?"

This time it was Kushina who snorted. "Don't get smart with me; It's for that perverted old coot you call a Hokage." She looked disappointed. "Ah well, I'll get him next time." She pulled out a scroll and sealed the 'shurisaw' in it.  
**  
**Minato, already used to his fiance pulling random weapons wherever she needed them, didn't even blink. "Walk me to the gate?"

"You need to ask?"

They started walking. They passed by Ichiraku Ramen, which was Kushina's favorite place (and Minato's worst because the Whirlpool kunoichi always managed to make him pay for the enormous amount of ramen she consumed) and were near the Uchiha family residence when Kushina ended the silence between them.

"I heard Uchiha Mikoto is pregnant. Again."

Minato turned towards her. "That's unusual. You talking about her of all people."

Kushina wiped her hair. "I think it's unusual for the great Uchiha Clan to want another heir."

"Maybe they didn't plan for it?" Minato frowned

The woman send him a glare that clearly said, "Are you fucking kidding me, you poor excuse of a ninja?"

"Uchiha NOT planning? That will be a first. That bastard Fugaku would kill himself sooner, you know."

"He's not that bad." came a weak reply from the soon-to-be Hokage. Unfortunately, it was the only reply he could manage. He too didn't get along with the Head of the Uchiha Clan. Not for the lack of trying though. He had a sneaky suspicion that Uchiha Fugaku didn't like anybody outside of his clan.

Kushina rolled her eyes. "Your arguments put mine to shame."

They were finally at the gate.

"How long will it take?"

"Not sure. I'll try not to take too long." Minato winked.

Kushina's eyes darkened with desire. She certainly didn't forget this morning. "Then what are you waiting for? GO GET THEM!"

Minato winced at the sound. He really wished his future progeny wouldn't take lungs after his fiancée.


	2. Grass

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

* * *

Chapter Two: Grass

The journey to Grass was as uneventful as Minato thought it would be. But it didn't put him in a good mood. Fire Country was a battlefield of all the neighboring nations and the uprooted trees, vast fields devoid of any living flora or fauna only confirmed that fact.

_'How could anyone even __**want **__fighting after this?'_Minato thought looking at the body of ninja from Amegakure hanging from one of the branches. The closer he was getting to the border, the more rotting corpses he was finding. He wasn't surprised though; dead weren't worth risking your life for. Probably after the treaties are signed and peace is made, they will be allowed to be properly buried.

Normally it would take about two or three days to reach Grass Country from Konohagakure. Namikaze figured he'd make it in less than two without pushing his limits. He'd probably be able to do it even faster, but if his gut feeling was anything to go by, he'll need his strength. He packed his ninja gear before meeting with the Hokage, but conserving chakra was more important than any extra-kunai.

Minato knew this road well. _Too_well. It was after all in Grass that one of his students, Uchiha Obito, died giving Hatake Kakashi his Sharingan eye. He never told Kakashi or Rin how much he felt guilty about what happened to their teammate. Both of them would probably scold him and take full blame on themselves.

Minato growled. They were still children for Kami's sake! But they experienced far too much to be called 'children'.

_'Only those who know war and its horrors can build the future without it.' _he thought_. _Still, the price they had to pay was too high.

He shook his head. He was getting nowhere with this. He moved faster.

* * *

After one and a half days, he finally reached the Grass Country. It took two hours to find the squad stationed there (after all, they couldn't be found by any stray enemy ninja). What he saw there didn't ease his worries at _all_.

Since Tsunade, one of the Sannin, practically created four-man cells, in each team there was at least one medic nin. Right now, he could notice only three of them treating various injuries of about 20 shinobi.

Above them there was a battle raging on, accompanied by explosions. Kunai seemed to be sailing right above their heads. Minato was unpleasantly reminded of the day Obito died.

"It's good you are here!"

God, even the 'welcome' call was the same. Minato looked more closely now on the shinobi before him. The jounin was older than him, but he still was familiar, especially his pearly-white eyes.

Hyuuga Hizashi was a man who was difficult to miss.

His mouth formed words without his will. "What's the situation?" he winced inwardly. He was working purely on instinct, mimicking even the words from that fateful day .

"There is 20 of them but it seems as if there is twice as that. They don't seem to tire though and they are definitely not using any jutsus." said Hizashi frowning

Minato didn't ask how he knew that. Seeing chakra was a special ability of Byakugan that couldn't be kept secret for long.

_'I__t's not surprising" _thought Namikaze_. 'They are desperate. They know if they give us a chance, they'll die. They have nothing to loose. You, on the other hand, think too much about your warm beds and happy families. It makes you loose your focus and will to fight because it's the end and you are __**still **__here, fighting some freaks instead of dining with your wife and kids. So troublesome.' _Minato sometimes hated his life.

He took out twenty of his kunai and shouted:

"Take these and throw them at your opponents! After that, stay back!"

He had enough of this. He wanted to end this senseless fighting. He wouldn't allow any Konoha shinobi to die anymore.

Failure was _not_ an option.

* * *

Since his childhood, he always had a fascination with wind. The way it moved around him. How forceful, how _powerful_ it was to uproot trees and cause buildings to fall as if made of paper. It was frightening and exhilarating at the same time.  
When using his Hiraishin he was faster than sound itself and more powerful than any hurricane. For hurricanes destroy everything on its way, it is uncontrollable, mindless. He always knew who to kill. There were no mistakes.

It only took a moment and before long, all of the enemy shinobi were slain.

Konoha ninja who'd never before seen him in action were gaping. Minato couldn't blame them. For them, it seemed like a blink. For him, when using Hiraishin, it always seemed like an eternity.

"Search the field! Take all wounded to the medics, clean the dead. We will bring them to the village. Make sure to give them a proper funeral." Minato shouted not looking back as he moved forward.

Soon, the field was full of Konoha shinobi. The wounded were treated and dead were put on just-recently made stretchers. But Minato wasn't interested in them. Something caught his eye. Near the Iwa's defense line there was a lot of corpses. Nothing was strange about that. But they all were clad in the same clothes, and they weren't standard chunnin or jounin uniforms. Minato crouched before one of them and suddenly he saw it.

Uchiha emblem was on their shirts.

He narrowed his eyes. Uchihas weren't put on missions to Grass. They were usually sent to borders of Land of Water or even Land of Wind, but not in Grass. He also kept an eye on teams sent here because he was more than familiar with local environment and was best suited for choosing squads. He remembered only one team that had an Uchiha with them and it was his own.  
But looking at the corpses he could tell they were laying on this field for about three months. There was a stench of a rotting body and maggots were crawling in their open mouths or out of their empty sockets. He grimaced. He would have to call someone here to help him move them.

Then he heard it.

Someone was on his right. Someone _alive_.

He couldn't make a mistake now. With a speed that came only from years of training he pulled a kunai, turned-

And froze.

Before him stood a child... no. _A creature. _He... She... _It _had untamed, matted dark hair that reached to its chin. Skin was covered with dirt and blood. It was clad in ratty, filthy clothes. It clutched a kunai in its small hand.

But what terrified Namikaze Minato was not a weapon in the creature's grasp.

It was the eyes.

The eyes of a wild, panicked animal devoid of any rational thought.

* * *

**A/N: **I wonder, who could that be? Hm...


	3. Return

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

* * *

Chapter Three: Return

Minato starred. He could barely believe his eyes. What... _What_ was a...a child doing on the battlefield?!

He froze. He couldn't move. He barely noticed when the apparition before him started running towards him brandishing a weapon in its hand.

_'So small_…_'_

When the child was right before him, he grasped its hand and twisted it around. The kunai fell on the ground but the creature didn't give up. It tried to kick him but its short legs couldn't reach him. It let out an animalistic wail and started to struggle. Its fragile bones groaned at the pressure. It didn't bother the little one at all.

_'If he keeps it up, he will break his arm.' _Minato couldn't have it happen.

"Ssh, child, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you." he said with a calm and soft voice he didn't know he had.

The child stilled and slowly turned its head towards him. Minato felt his jaw drop.

The child's eyes were alight with the Sharingan, one tomoe in each eye.

_'An Uchiha?! Wait...' _

There weren't a lot of children in the Uchiha Clan, certainly not as young as this one. He (Minato thought it must be a boy though it was difficult to tell) couldn't be older than three, four at the most! From what he knew, there wasn't a boy child except...

_'No... It couldn't be!'_

Minato swallowed. The small, dirty face was still looking at him, Sharingan taking every feature in. Finally the boy's gaze traveled upwards to his forehead. Red eyes grew wide. He opened his mouth but didn't speak, his eyes fixated on his headband and Konoha symbol on it.

The boy tried again, this time he let out a strange, raspy sound from his dry throat. After a fourth failed attempt, the small one made a noise akin to frustration. He made several moves with his free hand.

Minato let him go. He was observing the child closely. The boy was watching him now with suspicion, but the previous panicked look was gone. The jounin let out a sigh of relief. The child wasn't gone... yet.

"What's your name, little one?" he asked kindly.

The boy jumped. He looked frantically around as if expecting an attack.

"No, don't worry," Minato tried to calm the panicked child. "The enemies... The bad men are gone. You are safe now. I'll take you home."

But the child apparently didn't hear him or he was ignoring him for he was still looking around. After a minute he calmed down and returned his gaze to the jounin before him.

"You... Konoha?"

It was spoken softly and if Minato was any lesser a shinobi he might have missed it. He winced inwardly. Obviously the boy hadn't used his voice for some time.

"Yes, I'm a Konoha ninja. I will take you home." he tried to speak slowly and clearly so the young Uchiha had a chance to understand. Any thought of fast return flew out of his head. He couldn't rush things here. He didn't want the child to be scared of him. Even though he knew nothing about handling children (not so young and certainly not like _this_) he figured this one must be like a baby animal; easily scared. He needed time.

He tried once more to find out the boy's name. "What's your name?"

The boy looked at him confusedly. He tilted his head to the side and looked at Minato with wide eyes. The man would have found the gesture cute, if the circumstances weren't so dire.

The boy didn't speak.

Minato swallowed.

"Is it... Are you from the Uchiha Clan?"

The boy looked at him, and then slowly nodded.

He tried once more, growing slightly desperate with the whole situation. "What is your name, child?"

The boy once again glanced at him. Then the Sharingan faded from his eyes and he spoke softly.

"My name is Itachi."

* * *

Although he expected this answer, he was still shocked. It seemed as if some unknown burden was suddenly placed on his shoulders. Before him stood a heir - _**the **_heir to the Uchiha Clan. He had no idea what he was doing here or how he got here or even how _long _he had been here. But he would have to wait until later for the answers to those questions. He firmly pushed any thoughts on this matter down. It wasn't the time or place to interrogate a child. What he needed to do was to take Itachi to the medics.

He looked at the boy again.

Even though the wildness was gone from his eyes, the young Uchiha still had a look of an emaciated animal, matted hair framing his petite, dirty face. His eyes were black and intense and he was poised as if any wrong move from Minato would cause him to run away. He was clutching his right arm protectively to his belly, thin spidery fingers twitching slightly. He was shivering which wasn't surprising as his tattered remains of his Uchiha uniform were hardly protecting him from late November air.

Minato sighed. He couldn't see any injuries under this layer of dirt on him. And if Itachi's previous reaction to pain (because he _had to_ have felt something, he nearly broke his arm!) he wouldn't be able to notice anything judging by boy's behavior only.

'_Right,_ _he needs a bath and food.'_he added looking at the Uchiha's thin frame. _'All I have to do is convince him...'_

"Itachi, I'm going to take you to our camp, alright?" said Minato pulling his hand out so the child could take it.

Itachi was looking at the hand as if it was a snake. Minato didn't move. Itachi had to come to him on his own.

The small Uchiha hesitated, but after a quick look at the future Hokage's kind face he slowly started moving towards him.

"That's it, Itachi. Come on." Namikaze encouraged.

* * *

Itachi himself was surprised at his behavior. After all this time on the battlefield, between fighting for his life from the enemy _and_ hunger, he thought he'd never again trust anyone. But here he was, shuffling closer to the new man's outstretched hand.

He'd never seen this man before. But maybe it was the man's warm smile, the kind look in his eyes or the safe aura around him that made the child trust him. Itachi figured it must've been his hair. It was the colour of the sun, so surely the man had to be as warm and friendly as the sun, right? Besides, the adult didn't want to hurt him. If he had, he'd have already done so.

His fingertips touched the man's hand. Itachi jumped.

_'So warm_…_'_

Itachi felt like crying. How much had he longed for a warm blanket or dry grass to lie down at night? How long had it been since he last had a warm bath? And now this warm stranger came to take him home. Home! Could he even remember it?

"Itachi, what's wrong?" came the stranger's kind voice.

Itachi froze. He realized with horror that there was water in his eyes! Water... _Tears. _

"_Don't cry Itachi. Shinobi Rule #25__: A shinobi must never display their emotion. Remember it._"

Itachi didn't know whose words had spoken, but the voice caused him to wrap his thin arms around him. He was so cold.

He felt the air shift and he jumped again. The man was hugging him! His first reaction was to struggle, but then he felt warm, so warm, and he fell nearly boneless against the man's broad chest. He didn't protest when the stranger pulled him off his feet and carried him in his arms. He didn't care where he was taking him. He was warm and safe now.

* * *

Namikaze Minato felt relieved when the child snuggled to him.

He couldn't pretend he wasn't slightly scared. When the child just stood there with a lost expression and tears in his sad eyes, he wasn't able to control himself. He did the only thing that came to his mind; he hugged him.

His other part wondered how long this child was alone for, if he was willing to accept a hug from a stranger. Minato firmly told that part to shut up. Now was not the time.

He started moving towards the camp. Now there was a lot less bodies but a smell still lingered. He glanced at the dozing child in his arms- there was definitely a stench about him.

Had the child been living among... corpses?

_'There isn't a lot of places to hide on the battlefield, numbskull. What did you expect?' _his inner voice which sounded too much like Kushina reminded him.

He really didn't know why this thought shook him so much. He was a shinobi; hiding, pulling traps, sleeping with rotting bodies- that's what any shinobi had to come to terms with.

But... the thought of this child... doing something like this instead of playing in his warm safe home...

It was sickening.

He easily recognized the tall form of the Hyuuga Hizashi and made his way to him. The man smiled as he saw the future Hokage.

"Ah, we're just-"

"Take your men to the Iwa's border lines, there are still at least 5 corpses to take care of. Which of the medics is available?" Minato interrupted.

If Hizashi was surprised at Minato's cold tone he didn't comment on it. "Hana-sensei is free." He pointed at the kind looking woman with dark brown hair pulled into a high ponytail.

Umino Hana became a medic-nin shortly after she became pregnant. She was strong, calm and had a good hand for children.

"Umino-sensei…"

"Namikaze-san, to what do I own this pleasure?"

Minato's smile was strained. "I believe to this child…" He pulled his cloak off to expose the young Uchiha. It seemed that without the cloak covering him, Itachi was once again cold. He tried to snuggle even more against the jounin holding him, clutching his vest in his tiny fists.

To her credit, Umino Hana didn't ask any questions, nor did she show her surprise except for a slight widening of her eyes. She assessed him quickly and thoroughly.

"We need to clean him. Follow me, please."

She walked to the far corner of their camp, pulled a washbasin out and filled it with water. Then she disappeared behind the curtain only to emerge with a bar of soap.

Minato raised an eyebrow at that.

"Oh, you men could never understand the necessity of the soap." said Hana lightly.

The young Uchiha, unnoticed yet by the adults, started to wake up. He shifted in the man's grasp and looked around. His gaze fell on the tub. He shivered with anticipation. He hadn't had a bath in so long...

Minato looked at the little boy and smiled.

"Itachi, I'm going to put you in the tub, okay?" The little boy looked at him and nodded.

Namikaze removed the ragged clothes and with little effort and then put the child into the water. Itachi gasped on contact with the warmth and then crouched as low as possible. He glanced expectantly at the adult.

'_Well, I'll have to do it one day with my own child.'_ he sighed. _'I may as well start now.'_

Minato took the soap from the medic-nin and started scrubbing the boy's arm. Itachi made no reply and was just sitting in the water, content to let the older man wash him. Soon the water turned murky and dark but by that, nearly all of the 4-year-old's grime was gone.

Minato straightened.

"That should be enough." he said proudly.

Itachi's skin was a light shade of bronze that comes from spending a lot of time in the sun. Only his forearms and calves were covered in bruises. Minato could breath more easily now. The boy didn't have any chest or abdominal wounds that were usually the most dangerous. And with the boy's condition... He doubted his already fragile body would be able to put up with the strain.

"We have to cut his hair."

The jounin turned towards Hana.

"He may be crawling with lice for all we know. Besides, his hair is so matted we won't be able to even comb it." added the medic.

Minato nodded and pulled out a kunai.

It was a mistake.

Itachi's eyes went impossibly wide, pupils enlarged; his breathing grew labored, muscles contracted. He jumped out of the basin as if scalded, crouching before them on all fours like an animal. And before a jounin or medic reacted, he turned and fled from the camp.

Minato took off after him. He mentally cursed himself for his stupidity. How could he forget that the child spent an unknown amount of time on a battlefield? He was _bound to_ react that way to any weapon in his vicinity.

He sped up. A panicked child was bad enough but a panicked _fast_ child was another matter.

But it seemed he didn't have to bother.

* * *

Itachi was terrified. The man, _that kind warm man, _was trying to hurt him!

He felt a stab of pain in his heart but tried to ignore it. He was so, _so _close! But the man betrayed him, wanted to kill him, humiliate him by making him believe, _by giving him hope,_that he would safely return home. Itachi vowed to never make the same mistake twice.

He didn't even notice tears running down his face.

But he did notice when the world around him started whirling around, making him dizzy and loose his footing. What... What was that? Why?

He couldn't move, couldn't think. Thinking... It hurt to think. It hurt to even keep his eyes open.

'_No…No, I can't close my eyes! If I do, I'll die!'_

It was the young Uchiha's last thought before he lost consciousness, succumbing to the narcotic's power.

**

* * *

****A/N: **Thank you for review and alerts. The story itself is quite planned out (together with nearly non-existent plot) but I'm always open to new ideas. Enjoy.


	4. Questions

Chapter Four: Questions

Namikaze cut the last chunk of hair leaving the little head covered in short tresses. He felt a little guilty about cutting child's hair without his permission but he really didn't want another race.

He thanked to whoever may be hearing for medic's fast hands. They undoubtedly come in handy.

Thankfully, the boy didn't have lice, but probably any more time out there and he'd have a colony of them. He was so thin that he was able to count all his ribs, his fingers resembled matchsticks, elbows and knees were covered in scabs, arms bruised.

He found it hard to believe that any parent, even as proud as Uchiha Fugaku, would willingly send their only child (a 4-year-old!) to fight in a war. Especially parent-shinobi who HAD TO know all the danger and pain that come from being on a battlefield. Children, unlike adults or even aspiring ninjas-to-be, can't turn the trauma into experience. Minato wouldn't be surprised if Itachi later in life avoided any conflicts and sought peace.

However, it was downright impossible for an inexperienced_ little boy _to sneak into the contingent of seasoned Uchiha shinobi! The very thought was laughable! What's more, his parents would surely notice his disappearance and send Uchiha after Uchiha just to find their little heir. Or at least report to the Hokage! How could their own son escape their notice?

Unfortunately, the first possibility was the most likely but he fervently wished he was wrong. He didn't think he'd able to control himself if...

Minato shook his head. It was no use. He will have to ask the child in question. And looking at the waking form on the futon, it may be more difficult than any interrogation he ever executed.

* * *

Itachi wasn't feeling too well. His head was aching and there was something not nice in his throat. It made him want to throw up. With great care, he opened his eyes taking in his surroundings. The sky above him was red, trees casting long shadows on the ground. '_It must be nearing sunset' _he thought. But there was something strange. He was laying on something soft. And he felt clean!

He didn't remember taking a bath so who...

"Itachi?"

The boy twisted. Before him sat a tall man with kind blue eyes and unruly yellow (because it for sure wasn't blond) hair. Itachi frowned. He could have sworn he saw this man before-

Memories came to him. The cloak, the vest, the basin... _Kunai_

He tried to jump from the futon but his legs got tangled. He had to escape, had to run NOW!

He once again tried to remove himself from the makeshift bed and fell flat on his face.

Minato bit his lip. Putting the circumstances aside, the situation was quite comical. Itachi unsuccessfully trying to untangle himself from the futon before falling on his little face. He was slightly amused.

But then his expression sobered.

The child was laying there, clutching grass in his fists and desperately trying to hold back tears.

Namikaze's heart twisted.

"Itachi?" he tried once again, reaching to the boy.

Young Uchiha violently flinched from his touch. He sat down, his head low, back bowed. He looked quite miserable.

Minato sighed. Any questions he may have had, had to wait.

"Itachi. I'm sorry about before. You know, with the... kunai" he added lamely. He really wasn't good at this. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted to cut your hair." he hesitated "I'm very sorry for scaring you"

The child didn't answer unless a sniffle would count as an answer. He put his little hand to his face and with trepidation smoothed his hair.

Or at least tried to. The short strings tickled his tiny palm. Itachi put his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He looked even smaller than before.

Minato run a hand through his own hair in frustration.

"After we let a doctor take a look at you, we will find you clothes and something to eat. And then I will take you home."

Itachi once again flinched. He raised his head. Child's face was expressionless except his eyes. They were full of desperate hope.

"You promise?" came a soft question.

Minato beamed.

"Of course! I promise on my nindo!"

"Nindo?" Itachi tilted his head, confused by the strange word.

Jounin gave himself a mental pat on a job well done.

"Nindo! My ninja way! Now the promise must be kept, no matter what." he flashed a smile and gave the boy a thumb up. He couldn't believe he was impersonating Gai-kun of all people.

Itachi looked bewildered at the strange man. But then his lips curled into a small smile.

Minato failed to control a satisfied smile from appearing on his face.

* * *

A visit to Umino-sensei went smoothly if not counting a small panic attack and a large bruise that bloomed on medic's cheek. The woman waved off Minato's apology and confessed that 'she had worse'.

"He's a child that just hours before was in the middle of a battle. It's nothing surprising, Namikaze-san."

She healed his injuries and was happy to announce that none of them were serious. She also commented on Itachi's "perfect" health.

"You have a very nice physic, child. Girls will be all over you, dear." to Minato she whispered: "Make sure he eats at least twice a day, but don't give him too much food. Start with something light."

"What healthy teeth you have! Good, good." "Give him fruits too"

Minato, on his part, felt too much like a parent bringing his son to the doctor. It was a strange feeling but not unpleasant.

Umino-sensei also gave him clothes, made from cut chunnin vest. There was enough material to serve as a shirt and pants.

Itachi felt very weird though. He hadn't had a clean wear for so long that he wasn't used to this feeling of... "cleanness". His skin was slightly itchy but he didn't complain. He knew it was necessary.

The problem was with food. Shinobi don't usually bring home-made warm meals on their missions. They have to hunt and prepare it themselves. It was out of question with Itachi. For his starved stomach, a deer-meat or meat of any mammal will result in painful throwing up.

Minato made his way to the nearby stream. He hoped there will be some fish because he won't be doing it again.

After ten minutes he came back dripping wet with a fish in his hand. Itachi was delighted.

It was past midnight when the child finally fell asleep, curling in the futon.

Minato sat down next to him. He stroked the soft cheek.

'_Who would have thought that just a moment ago he was trying to kill me…'_

"Minato-san."

Namikaze turned. Before him stood Hyuuga Hizashi.

"All squads are ready to move out."

Minato looked closely at the ninja before him. His face was expressionless but there was the air of impatience around him. He was eager to return home. Jounin narrowed his eyes; but of course! He had a 5-month-old son at home.

"And how is Neji, hm?"

Hizashi was startled. He obviously didn't expect him to remember his son's name. Minato mentally snorted. He soon will be a Hokage. He had to know the names of all his shinobi (current and future)

Hyuuga though was slightly annoyed. The man before him read him like an open book! He wasn't proud by nature (couldn't, being only from a Branch Family) but keeping his emotions in check was something he exceeded at. He made a mental note to train with his brother for an hour a day, at least.

"He's already crawling, sir." there was a proud note in his voice. Make it two hours.

Minato smiled, amused by other jounin's behaviour.

"Showing you are proud of your child is not something to be ashamed of, Hizashi-san' he said lightly. 'And you are right, we took long enough." he yawned and straightened.

"But, Minato-san, what about..." Hizashi trailed off, looking at Itachi's still form.

Minato raised an eyebrow. "He's coming with us." '_Obviously.'_

"But isn't he just a stray orphan? Is it really alright to take him with... _us_?"

Minato thanked the gods that Hizashi didn't recognize Itachi's face. He really didn't want everybody to know he had found an Uchiha heir on some battlefield between the corpses of his fellow kinsmen. Things were already confusing, without any extra-ninjas thrown into this mess.

"Now that I found him, I can't simply leave him to die" he said coldly. "He's strong, he will make a great shinobi" _'If he is able to overcome the trauma first' _he thought darkly.

He looked past Hizashi, indicating the end of their conversation, and shouted: 'We're moving out!

He didn't hear his men joyous yell for the night's air was cut by a terrifying cry of a frightened child.

* * *

They never before heard a yell like that. It was full of desperation, pain and uncontrollable fear. It was difficult to even listen to it. The amount of emotion put in it was enough to put 5 squads of blood-thirsty shinobi to their knees in anguish.

It wasn't the volume that was a problem or even the emotions. They all were used to their enemies crying out during interrogation. Their adult enemies.

Never children.

For them, children were something pure, untouched by a cruel reality. Happy and smiling as long as they could- that's how precious, how important to them they were.

Hearing a baby cry out in such desperation and abandon was frightening. Horrifying.

_Disgusting._

Minato turned from a frozen Hizashi and made his way to the wailing child on the futon. Itachi's eyes were closed- he was still dreaming. Namikaze didn't want to think what kind of dreams produced such desperation. Definitely not about ponies.

He didn't make it. Just as he came closer to the bed, child's eyes snapped open and the little one jumped. His eyes were alive with Sharingan, each tomoe spinning wildly. Behind him, he felt Hizashi faint. It seemed Itachi, unknowingly probably, performed a genjutsu on him. He heard men making their way to him and shouted:

"Don't come any closer!"

All shinobi froze. Noone dared to move.

He didn't do this to protect Itachi's identity. He did it to make him calm down.

He glanced at the boy, careful not to look into his eyes. It'd be troublesome to have to dispel a genjutsu of all things.

"Itachi, calm down. It's only a dream" Minato winced at his words. Couldn't he come up with something less pathetic?

Itachi, of course, didn't hear him. What's worse, he pulled a kunai from the holster strapped to his waistand raised it.

For a moment nobody moved. And then, as if a command was given, the baby and the jounin leapt out at each other, one with an intention to kill, the other with a wish to protect.

While airbone, Minato seized Itachi's wrist and twisted it, not enough to break it, but enough to hurt.

Uchiha cried out in pain but it didn't deter him at all. He switched a kunai to his left hand and lunged forward, aiming at the adult's jugular.

But Minato already foresaw the attack and grasped the boy's hand before it reached his neck.

It wasn't over though.

Uchiha, using Minato's arms as a leverage and taking advantage of the momentum gained from his jump, flipped his short legs above his head and kicked aiming at jounin's unprotected skull.

Then the man did something unexpected. He let go of Itachi's arms.

The boy, caught of guard, could do nothing but cry out as he was forcefully pulled down. He bounced painfully of the ground, lost his footing, and fell on his side.

Minato walked slowly to the child and calmly looked into his red eyes.

Itachi's lip quivered. Sharingan faded showing terrified black orbs. There was horror in them. Fear.

And _shame._

Minato could only take the child into his arms before the young Uchiha burst into uncontrollable tears.

* * *

**A/N: **Hehe... Hi! *hides under the table* I know, I know, sorry! Unfortunately, the next update will also take time because I have to review for my exams so... Yeah.

Anyway, you probably noticed that a certain character(s) made an appearance here. Well... Let me tell you he won't be the only one from original story to do so (I hate OCs that's way I try to rid of them as quickly as possible).

And for those who can't wait (btw, I love you guys!), here is a small preview for next chapter:

_"That damn Namikaze! He's one of the candidates for the title of Hokage, can you believe that?! As if an urchin like him could ever hope to be a Hokage!"_

_Itachi gasped. He knew this voice. Cold and hard, filled with disdain..._

_Chichi-ue._

Feel free to predict what happens next.

As for people who reviewed or put my story on alert list or favved it... THANK YOU *sniff* So happy.

Belated Merry Christmas and Not-belated Happy New Year!


	5. Decision

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

_Warning: This chapter is NOT beta'ed. Read at your own risk. If you find any mistakes, please notify me, I'll correct them right away. Thank you._

* * *

Chapter Five: Decision

„We can't take him with us."

There was a general murmur of agreement.

Namikaze Minato sighed. Itachi was asleep next to him. It took about two hours to calm him down and put him back to sleep.

It was already morning. All of the ninja had bags under their eyes from lack of sleep. They were discussing what to do with the young orphan. Or that's what they thought. None of them noticed Sharingan in child's eyes and for that Minato was grateful. As for Hizashi, Hyuuga couldn't remember what caused him to faint but he figured it must have been that terrifying yell. He admitted to Minato though, that the last thing he recalled was seeing his little son screaming with desperation and pain. He thought the hallucination, caused no doubt by his longing to return home combined with the "orphan's" wail, resulted in a "spontaneous loss of consciousness" aka "faint".

Minato didn't correct him that he was, in reality, put in an illusion.

He wondered how Itachi could come up with something so effective while being barely able to stand.

Not to mention being a bloody 4-year-old. Damn it.

„What do you think, Minato-san?"

Great. Now they were asking him for an opinion. '_Woe is me.'_

„You are right we can't take him in his present condition to the village"

Some chunnins beamed and moved as if to get up, thinking the discussion over.

However, jounins, Hyuuga Hizashi included, narrowed their eyes.

„What do you mean by 'in his present condition', Minato-san?"

'_Good.' thought Minato. 'You may have been beaten by an infant, but you're still sharp, Hizashi.'_

„Exactly what I said. In his current condition, it's impossible for him to live in Konoha. He has to recover on the way to the village" he said grimly.

There was a moment of silence.

„B-but, Namikaze-san" came a timid voice of Umino Hana. „It's not possible for him to recover in two days time. This kind of trauma takes time to heal: months or sometimes _years _of psychotherapy and-"

„I'm aware of that, Umino-sensei. And I never said it will take only two days. Nor did I say anything about full recovery- just enough for him to not become a danger to himself and others. For that, I believe a week or two should suffice."

His men exchanged astonished looks.

„Minato-sama" one of the young chunnins looked at him pleadingly „Are you saying, we should slow down our return to the village just because you want to take care of a child?"

Minato narrowed his eyes and looked coldly at the young man. „Are _you_ saying I should just leave him here to die or let him turn mad?"

The chunnin looked stricken. He lowered his head.

Namikaze watched others. They all didn't meet his eyes. Even Hyuuga Hizashi was biting his lower lip, not saying anything.

Yellow Flash sighed.

„Of course, I understand your desire to return to your homes. After all, it's been a long time since you last saw your families, right?"

All shinobi nodded.

„However, when there's a mission going on, things like these shouldn't matter. You are fighting here, so your family may be safe. Any lose of focus results in death. It's because of that, you couldn't win against Iwa's shinobi. You were thinking too much on your desires and dreams and too little on ways how to achieve them." he paused „I expect more determination from you in the future."

He straightened.

„Nevertheless, you can't allow your own ambitions to make you blind and deaf. Sometimes you need to choose between what's easy and what's right. „ He smiled slightly. „You just need to stop looking only at the end of your own noses. I guarantee it will help."

Half of the shinobi looked sheepish, and the second half looked at their leader with respect and embarrassment in their eyes.

„That said, let's get our missions done. Hizashi-san!" Minato turned towards the Hyuuga. „You are the leader now. Prepare your men to head out"

Hizashi looked surprised.

„But, what about you?"

Minato shook his head. „I already said, didn't I? We need to do our missions. Yours is to take your squad and return safely to the village. Preferably, the fastest way. Mine is to take care of this young man here" he pointed at the little bundle at his feet. "There are no complaints, I guess?"

All shinobi gaped, completely dumbfounded . Then, as one, they all shouted, their voices weak with relief and gratefulness:

„Thank you, Hokage-sama!"

„I'm not a Hokage, yet!"

„Yes, Hokage-sama!"

* * *

It only took a moment for all of them to get ready to move out. The dead were put on stretchers and covered with dark cloth, the others divided into their respective teams. All save one.

„You wanted to see me, Namikaze-san?"

„Umino-sensei, do you think it's possible for him to recover in a week?"

Hana scratched her head.

„It's... probable to stabilize his condition enough for him to return to normal life. But he'll need care even after that... Considering he's an orphan..."

Minato nodded. He didn't correct her. There was no point in it.

„Would you mind doing something else for me?" when she nodded he continued. „Could you explain to Uzumaki Kushina why I can't yet return?"

Hana laughed and nodded. „Too afraid to send Hizashi-san, are you?"

Minato snorted. „If I'm to be a Hokage, I can't have a brother of the Head of the Hyuuga Clan suing me for castration."

The medic smiled. „I understand. Good luck" her gaze shifted to Itachi's still form. „You are both going to need it."

Minato thought her words sounded too ominous for his taste.

* * *

„How long are you going to pretend to be asleep?"

Itachi was startled. He didn't expect the man to see through his trick. He evened out his breathing, relaxed his body and didn't open his eyes. How did he know?

"Sleep is roughly divided into five stages, waking not included. You did quite well with the first four, however after 90 to 120 min comes stage REM where your breathing is increased as well as brain activity- because of that some your muscles twitch or are paralyzed and your eyes move rapidly. Through the whole night, you were perfectly immobile."

Itachi opened his eyes and raised himself in surprise.

The man smiled at him. „That and I knew you were faking it. It was obvious."

Young Uchiha starred.

Jounin laughed „Come on. You must be hungry."

Indeed he was. He looked at the roasted fish and juicy fruits and couldn't help but salivate.

„Come on." the man encouraged again.

Itachi lunged for the fish. It was long, so painfully long since his last decent meal. However, he didn't let his guard down and carefully watched the man. He looked out of place with his yellow hair but Itachi didn't mind. It was easier to observe him since he naturally drew attention to himself.

He was so engrossed in his observation that he nearly missed the fact that the stranger was watching him as well. He put down the fish. Unease grew in him.

_'Why is he watching me? Is the fish poisoned? No.' _he thought. '_It's not that. He's just… looking at me.' _

The man smiled but it wasn't the same smile he saw before. It was diminished and maybe just a bit… sad.

The silence between them was nearly deafening. Neither knew what to say. Itachi was sitting with his head down, half-eaten fish on his lap. Namikaze winced, noticing how much of the mess the Uchiha made. The boy with his wide black eyes, bits of food on his face resembled more a skittish animal than a child. It was even more apparent when he was eating- it was nearly unbearable watching just how far it's possible for a human being to fall. It was a painful reminder of his decision to stay back and help him. He couldn't believe he was so naïve. He was not Itachi's parent or a medic. It seemed hopeless.

"Who are you?" a quiet voice cut his thoughts off. Minato shook his head. '_How can I help him when I forget something so elementary as this?'_

„My name's Namikaze Minato. Yoroshiku."

The child watched him for a moment and then his eyes brightened as recognition (Minato dared to hope) twinkled in his eyes. Itachi glanced at him again and lowered his gaze.

'_Did he remember something? Is he still able to…'_

„Hm. Is there something wrong with my name?"

Itachi sat there unmoving, biting his lower lip and frowning a little.

There was something about this name, if he just could remember what...

„_That damn Namikaze. He's one of the candidates for the title of Hokage, can you believe that? As if an urchin like him could ever hope to be a Hokage!"_

Itachi gasped. He knew this voice! Cold and hard, filled with disdain...

_Chichi-ue._

He couldn't remember how this _chichi-ue _looked like or even who he was but he was sure.

This voice was definitely _chichi-ue. _

„_Chichi-ue _doesn't like you" he said softly.

Minato starred. And then burst out laughing.

Itachi was confused. Had he said something funny? He thought he had said something unpleasant but this Minato-san was happy? _"H__e's really weird" _he concluded.

Minato laughed and laughed. He simply couldn't stop. He felt as if someone took a great burden from his shoulders. He was filled with relief and he was laughing, laughing so much that tears came to his eyes.

'_Really, how could I be so pessimistic? It's truly unlike me. I'm Namikaze Minato, I'll be Hokage soon. How could I loose hope when there's someone who needs me the most now? Someone so strong as this child? What was with that sudden fear? Since when do I consider failure as an option? Since when don't I trust my comrades? He remembers. It means now it will be easier for him to return to his life. He will be able to remember what he felt before- trust, safety… And if not, I will teach him. Nothing is lost. I'm sure now._

_I can do it.'_

* * *

Translation:

_Yoroshiku_- equivalent to "pleased to meet you"; I just thought it sounded better.

_Chichi-ue_- father, very formal- actually, Itachi really calls Fugaku that. It's safe to say their relationship is rather distant.

The update would have come earlier but I had to rewrite half the chapter. I finished my exams few days ago so I decided to post the chapter and when I read it I thought: "WTF?! Who wrote that?!#$#%##^&!" So I present you this.

Thank you all for reviews! You guys are just great *cries womanly tears* Anyway I discovered just now that Annonymous Review option was disabled- I'm very sorry, it should work now.

There won't be a preview because I'll update quite soon so... Just wait:)


	6. Answer

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

_Warning: this chapter is NOT beta'ed. If you find any mistakes, please notify me. Thank you._

"this"- speech

_'this'- _thoughts

_"this"- _flashback

* * *

Chapter Six: Answer

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder was something that Minato was quite familiar with. During war, when high and low ranked shinobi were dying, villages were forced to send even gennin on battlefield- most of them experienced first-hand what being a ninja really means. Though he had to admit, he'd never seen a four-year-old suffering from it. Children by nature seek warmth and human touch; it's something they have no control over.

And Itachi seemed to stay as far as possible from him. Or at least, that's what a lesser shinobi would think.

Thankfully, Minato was anything but.

He was able to notice strange pattern in the child's behaviour; while young Uchiha liked the fire and always made sure to stay as close to it as possible, he also gradually inched himself closer to the adult, probably subconsciously. Each time the boy noticed it, he turned slightly pink and moved farther away, only to find himself in the same spot seconds later. It wasn't amusing, it was… quite sad to watch.

Sometimes Namikaze caught the child shyly glancing in his direction but otherwise he was quietly watching his surroundings, making as little noise as possible, always on alert, always on guard…

'_He'd make a terrific shinobi__.'_

Minato winced. Itachi was only four. He needed help. _His_ help.

He was being soft for too long. It was time to get answers.

* * *

„Itachi, come here please."

Itachi turned away from the fire he was watching. Namikaze-san was looking serious, unlike from this morning. Young Uchiha felt uncomfortable. The adult's gaze was scaring him a little.

He raised and walked slowly towards the jounin. He could feel his hands shaking.

He was nervous and didn't like it. It never ended well for him.

Namikaze-san smiled trying to make him feel more at ease.

„Sit down next to me, please."

Itachi sat, pulling his bony knees to his chest. He didn't dare look at the man. He preferred watching the fire.

He heard the man take a breath.

"I have some questions for you. I hope you will answer them."

Uchiha said nothing.

„If you don't want to answer them, it's fine too but remember I'll ask you about it later. Is it okay?"

Itachi nodded at the fire.

„Can you tell me your full name?"

That was easy.

„Uchiha Itachi, Namikaze-san."

Minato smiled. _'__So far so good.'_

„Your parents' names?"

The boy had to think a little about that one.

„Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto"

„How old are you, Itachi?"

„I'm four, sir."

„How did you come here, Itachi?"

Itachi opened his mouth but no sound came out. He glanced at the jounin next to him and hastily dropped his gaze. He started trembling.

„It's alright; you don't have to answer it. We will wait, don't worry." Minato tried to soothe the distressed child. „I'll ask you something different, okay?"

Itachi only looked warily at the man.

„When is your birthday?"

„9th June, Namikaze-san"

„When have you last seen your parents?" As the words escaped his mouth, Minato wanted to take them back. Itachi was only four! He couldn't count!

But when he glanced down at the boy, to his amazement, the child was looking at his fingers and muttering something under his breath.

„It was three months after my birthday when they took me. My birthday's in June so it must have been..." he looked at his fingers again „Setembre... September." he said proudly.

Minato was anything but proud. He was sorting the information the child unknowingly provided him with. Today's date was 27th November, that meant Itachi spent three months on this battlefield completely alone. What's more...

„Itachi, who took you?"

Itachi froze. He glanced desperately around, towards dark trees around them, eventually fixed his eyes on the flames.

„It was _Oji-sama _and some others... I don't really know them."

Minato didn't correct him on his use of present tense.

„Why did they take you?"

Itachi didn't answer. He was gazing into the fire, eyes wide with fright.

Minato touched him gently. „Was it... because of your parents?"

Uchiha flinched violently away, shaking his head.

„No, no..."

„Itachi..."

„NO!"

He jumped to his feet and moved away from light, black eyes unseeing, spidery fingers pulling at his short hair.

„Itachi, stop it!"

"_Stop this nonsense, Itachi."_

„You are going to hurt yourself, calm down!"

„_Calm yourself, boy. It's unbecoming."_

„Please!"

„_Please, chichi-ue! I want to stay with you! Don't send me away!"_

„Stay with me, Itachi!"

„_Haha-ue! Let me stay! I will be good, I promise! DON'T SEND ME AWAY!"_

„_Don't cry Itachi. Shinobi Rule #25: A shinobi must never display their emotion. Remember it."_

„_HAHA-UE!"_

_Cold. He was so cold._

* * *

Itachi was unconscious for several hours. Minato didn't dare disturb him.

When he finally woke up, the boy didn't say a word. He took the proffered fish and bread and ate them in silence.

They passed the border at night and didn't stop till they were deep enough in Land of Fire's territory.

Itachi was still stubbornly mute. And while by itself it was nothing surprising (the boy never once struck up a conversation), at least before he answered questions with full sentences. Now the only sound he produced was "Hn." It was driving Minato mad but he couldn't do anything. He watched helplessly as the child's eyes changed again to lifeless, weary dark orbs, as bags grew even more prominent under them (he knew Itachi didn't sleep at night, no matter how cleverly he tried to hide it).

It was already second day since they left Grass behind and Minatowas becoming steadily more apprehensive. He figured he should just pass the boy to his rightful parents and let them deal with this problem. However, if his suspicions were right, Uchiha Clan Heads played a major role in Itachi's three months escapade to Grass. Furthermore, he knew both personally. Even though he couldn't imagine Mikoto-san being blind to her son's troubles, he could all too well picture Fugaku-san turning from his heir in time of need. And the best part- the man would believe he did the good thing. He'd call it "Strengthening the character". Or something.

Minato sighed.

'_I know what I have to do. I can't just ignore it and hope it will go away. However… With this boy, it's one step forward and several steps backwards. How should I bypass that?'_

He turned around.

With each passing day, Itachi was steadily failing to keep up with the blond's pace. Actually, Namikaze noticed it since they crossed the border. It wasn't surprising; the 4-years-old legs (especially feet and knees) should by now reach at least an '8' on a 10 Degree Scale of Pain (copyrights to Rin).

Itachi refused to say anything and Minato wanted to see when the child finally cracks. It seemed though that Itachi would sooner swallow a kunai than ask him for help.

'_Little bastard._' thought Namikaze looking at the struggling boy_ 'Little proud bastard.'_

'_Gah! I'm really getting soft.'_

He waited till Itachi stopped before him. The child raised his head and looked at the future Yondaime with soulless eyes. Minato didn't move.

„Is something wrong, Itachi?"

The boy looked at him blankly. After a moment, he shook his head.

The man narrowed his eyes._ 'So, you want to play difficult, hm?'_

„You are not hurt anywhere? No pain at all?"

His answer was a shake of dark head._ 'That little…'_

„What about your_ legs_? And your_ feet_?"

Itachi looked him straight in the eye._ And shook his head. _

There was a silence.

„Sit down."

Itachi obediently sat.

Minato crouched before him and took his right leg in his hand. He carefully removed a sandal. Child's feet were red and swollen, covered with blisters. He looked back at his charge. Young Uchiha was avoiding his gaze, cheeks pink.

„I'm going to ask again: Are you hurt anywhere?"

Itachi was biting his lower lip, eyes turned towards the ground, little hands twisting. He glanced pleadingly at the adult but Minato was unrelenting. He dropped his head and mumbled something incomprehensible.

'_You won't get away this easily.'_

„I haven't heard you."

Uchiha looked helplessly around. He swallowed and said softly:

„My feet hurt."

At once, Namikaze placed the leg gently on the ground and pulled the second sandal from the other. It was in the same state as the right one. He opened his backpack and took out gauze and few plasters. He split the gauze in two pieces and wrapped them around each leg securing it with plasters (it was needless but he didn't want the child to be in pain each time he moved) and gazed at the sight before him.

Itachi seemed humiliated and defeated. Minato's look softened though the young Uchiha didn't notice.

„Itachi, why haven't you told me about this?"

No reply.

„Were you ashamed? Or did you think I would get angry?"

Silence. And then:

„Chichi-ue says that a strong shinobi should be able to sort out his own problems without anyone noticing."

'_How is it possible for Fugaku to piss me off without even being present?'_

„Your c_hichi-ue _is an intelligent man. But like all men, he makes mistakes. You can't take all of his words as true and right."

Minato sat wearily down. It looked like a long discussion was needed here.

„Itachi, look at me, please."

No move.

Jounin placed his hand under the child's chin and maneuvered it gently so the boy looked him in the eye. He smiled.

„I just prefer to see your face when talking to you."

Itachi made no reply.

„You know, being strong doesn't mean you have to hide your pain from your comrades. As anything, it only shows how little trust you have in them, and how childish your reasoning is."

Itachi looked alarmed. Minato felt his heart twist.

'_HE is still only a child. But... If I don't say this now, who will explain it to him later?'_

„Just think about it; you and your team are on a mission to retrieve a forbidden scroll. While on it, you break your wrist. You hide this fact from your team. You are ambushed. The fight begins. During it you notice an enemy ninja sneaking up behind your comrade who holds the scroll.

Even if you scream to him, he won't have time to turn around and kill. But you are engaged in a fight with the other ninja, you can't run to him. The only way is to take a kunai and throw it. Unfortunately, your spare hand is useless because of your wrist. The enemy shinobi kills your comrade and takes the scroll. Mission ends in failure."

Minato paused. Itachi was shaking violently, looking at him with tears in his wide eyes.

„When you are a part of a team, anything that affects you, affects your team. You can't hide your problems from them when there is a mission going on. Because, during a fight, they can put into equation your broken wrist and not only be more alert and mindful of their own protection but also yours."

He smiled gently and put his large hand on the boy's head. Short strands felt smooth under his palm. He fought an impulse to stroke them.

„Pride made many shinobi, _powerful _shinobi to loose their lives. She's a dangerous companion and has no place on a battlefield. The same with shame. If you want to be a ninja, if you want to be a _strong _one, you should be able to put both aside for the good of your team and the mission." A smile. „You will notice that, along the way, you will also change into a better _man. _That way, you will never be alone."

Itachi gaped at him. _'How? How did he know... that it's...'_

'_That it's what I fear most?'_

Minato grinned at him widely. He reached to his backpack and pulled a tissue out.

„Here, let me take a look. I think there's something in your eyes..."

"_There was something in my eye! And the tears were to get it out!"_

His hand stilled. And then he smiled sadly, wiping Itachi's eyes gently.

'_I'm sorry, Obito. But maybe the gods gave me this one chance to save your little cousin instead of you. This time, I promise, I won't fail.'_

„Namikaze-san?"

Jounin glanced at the child. Uchiha's eyes were dry. He hastily tucked the tissue in one of his pockets.

„Minato-san will be enough, Itachi. You make me feel old!"

The boy gave him a look that plainly said: 'You ARE old!'. Soon his eyes grew serious and said:

„You told me that anything affects me, affects the team. But then... Wouldn't I be a... burden? To the team, I mean."

'_He's smart.'_

„Well, if it were to happen often, then yes, you would be."

Itachi seemed cutely confused.

„But then... Wouldn't that make me weak?"

„Hm. That's why you should get stronger, right? And you'll never burden anyone again."

For a moment, Uchiha was silent. And then, understanding dawned into his black orbs.

'_Ah. You understand, don't you? It's no big feat, to get strong for yourself. It's so easy to let yourself grow proud and limited, see only your own achievements and never notice the world around you._

_A good shinobi won't let pride clip his wings. He'll always strive to be better, stronger, faster. Because it won't be his own ego that will motivate him but the others around him: his comrades, family... _

_His __bonds that won't ever disappear.'_

* * *

The air changed between them.

'_Definitely for the better.' _thought Minato as he and Itachi walked through the thick forest. Or more amply, Namikaze walked and young Uchiha rode on his back.

After their little talk, coaxing Itachi into piggy-back ride („Just for a while!") was easier than convincing Kushina that Hyuuga Clan were not robots but normal human beings.

Maybe the comparison wasn't the most accurate one. Ah, well.

At this moment, the boy was snuggled into his back, little arms wrapped lightly around his neck. For Minato, it was no problem at all. The baby hardly weighted anything.

For an hour, there was a comfortable silence. And suddenly:

„Minato-san, I'm going to tell you everything."

* * *

**_A/N: _**Guys, do you know I love you? Well, now you do. I'm happy you like this strange relationship between Minato and Itachi- the scene with the fire, where Itachi moves away and then shifts closer to Minato is ,perhaps, more significant than some of you may think but I'm fine with whichever interpretation you choose. It doesn't have some particular future importance so it's ok.

_Haha-ue- _mother, very formal

_Oji-sama- _in this case it means an older man, of course very formal

Once again I had to rewrite the chapter (originally, it was supposed to be 2 chapters) so sorry for lateness.

Unfortunately, my break is over, so the next update will be... late. But there's a preview so you can speculate all you want:

_"You have an hour to prepare. Meet us outside. Dismissed."_

_And both he and his wife exited the room, leaving their son alone._

I know it's short but I don't want to spoil it too much. Enjoy&Review and see ya.


	7. His'story

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

_Warning: This chapter is NOT beta'ed. If you find any mistakes, notify me._

_In celebration of Yondaime Hokage finally appearing in the manga._

* * *

Chapter Seven: His'story

"As you already know, Minato-san, it was three months after my birthday when Oji-sama and his men came to take me..."

_It was a bright, sunny day and Itachi was in the backyard laying on grass, relaxing after a hard training with his father. Uchiha Fugaku would definitely scold his son, if he saw him in such compromising position but thankfully he was on a family meeting. _

_'It must be a very important meeting because it seems that everyone from the Clan was invited' mused Itachi. He wasn't particularly interested in these discussions. It's not like they would be talking about him or ,gods forbid, to him._

_Though he couldn't help but think about his father's odd behaviour. For the past two weeks, he was spending a lot of time with his son (something that never happened before) teaching him basics of ninja skill. Itachi thought them fairly easy but his problem was his stamina and young age. He had huge problems especially with a kunai- its handle wasn't made for such small, childish hands__, though it didn't seem to faze his father. He was correcting the child's grip nearly all the time disregarding the fact that Itachi simply wasn't physically able to hold the weapon. He also wasn't that great with throwing shuriken but he still could hit bull's eye from time to time though his fingers bore marks of too big for him ninja gear._

_However, his chakra molding skills were exceptional. They could even be on pair with some of Uchiha's elite. Itachi couldn't help being proud._

_Nevertheless, he certainly wasn't looking forward to another training session with his father. The man was a strict and an impatient teacher, which made Itachi often feel inadequate and ashamed. He was working hard and was giving his utmost trying to complete his exercises, never mind that some of them seemed impossible for him to complete (how could you even manage to throw eight kunai while being in the air and upside down?! He had enough trouble with just one!). Oh no, he much preferred laying here in the sun than tiring himself out for no reason. _

"_Itachi-kun."_

_The boy nearly groaned in frustration. He wanted to rest! Why the meeting had to end?! However he raised and turned around._

_On the doorstep was standing Uchiha Mikoto. He thought she was a strange mother, even though he didn't have anyone to compare her to. She just never seemed to be there__. A lot like his father. _

"_Dinner is ready, please come inside." her voice was soft but emotionless. It sounded as if she was reciting a role._

_Itachi dusted himself off and followed her. He didn't want to. He'd rather stay outside._

_His father was already at the table, silent and imposing. His mother sat next to him, leaving Itachi to sit opposite of them. The child didn't like it. He felt as if both of them followed his every move, measuring, judging him. He wanted to shrink into himself but refrained from doing so. His father wouldn't approve._

_After they finished, Itachi remained sitting. He wasn't allowed to leave, he wasn't dismissed. He sat upright on his knees, feeling strangely naked before his parents__' watchful eyes. Even though his legs hurt, he didn't dare shift. It seemed hours before his father spoke, his voice cold and hard:_

"_Itachi, for the past two weeks I taught you the very basics of our profession. It's high time your skills were put to a test."_

_Itachi was confused. Did he mean he'll be sent to Academy? But he was only four! Surely it was too soon!_

_Fugaku took a deep breath._

"_You will be sent with some of our Clan members to Grass to experience first hand what it means to fight in a war."_

_Shock. Pure shock. War?! Him?! Grass?! What? How? _

_The adult was still talking:_

"_You have an hour to prepare. Meet us outside. Dismissed."_

_And both he and his wife exited the room, leaving their son alone._

_Several minutes passed before__Itachi finally got up. He mechanically went to his room and packed his things, mind blank with shock._

_When an hour later he met his parents and other Uchihas, he still couldn't form any rational thought. He was faintly aware of his father's conversation with an older man that Itachi might have seen before, hearing only snippets__ like: "battle", "show him", and "Iwagakure"._

_But w__hen he heard a phrase: "Take him" the shock that gripped him suddenly disappeared._

"_No."_

_All the adults turned towards him, as if just noticing his presence._

"_No." __Itachi repeated more strongly._

"_Stop this nonsense, Itachi. You are making a scene." came his father impatient reply._

_But the panic was already raising in the young Uchiha, panic he couldn't contain._

"_Chichi-ue, please, I'm not ready! War... It's too much! I..."_

"_Calm yourself, boy. It's unbecoming." There was palpable anger in his father's tone but Itachi didn't head the warning. Fear was already overwhelming him._

"_Please, chichi-ue! I want to stay with you! Don't send me away!"_

_Fugaku snorted in disgust and turned towards his kinsmen._

"_Take him away. And make him loose this distasteful behaviour."_

"_Understood, Fugaku-sama."_

_Itachi felt tears run down his cheeks. He looked helplessly around, searching for a way out and his gaze fell on his mother, a__ woman he barely knew but who gave birth to him, who cooked him meals who COULDN'T let anything bad happen to him because she was his mother._

"_Haha-ue! Let me stay! I will be good, I promise! DON'T SEND ME AWAY!"_

_Uchiha Mikoto kneeled before him, placing her hands on his shaking shoulders. Her face was beautiful, as if carved in the marble, equally smooth and expressionless like a statue's. She kissed his forehead but Itachi could only feel coldness spread inside him._

"_Don't cry Itachi. Shinobi Rule #25: A shinobi must never display their emotion. Remember it."_

"_HAHA-UE!"_

_The last thing Itachi remembered was his mother's Sharingan, three tomoe spinning wildly in her eyes, pulling him deep into sleep and an overpowering feeling of cold darkness._

* * *

_When Itachi woke up, they were already deep into Land's of Fire territory. He was surrounded by at least six shinobi, none of whom appeared to be paying any attention to him. It suited him just fine. _

'_I just need to be quiet...'_

"_Even if you manage to escape, where will you go?"_

_Itachi froze. The oldest man in the company was looking straight at him. He didn't reply._

_Luckily, it seemed that the man didn't expect one._

"_By all means try. But don't think you'll be able to get past US." said the adult, looking proudly at his men. "And now that you are awake, we have few things to discuss." He looked at the child relishing the shiver that ran through the young heir. "Good." the man whispered, oblivious that Itachi could hear him just fine. "He needs to learn discipline." Then he said in louder voice:_

"_We are not here to cuddle or babysit you. The only thing you will be given from us will be food and training. We're doing you a favour by even taking you with us. If it wasn't for Fugaku-sama, we wouldn't have bothered."_

_The other men snickered. Their leader rolled his eyes at them and nodded towards Itachi as if sharing some inside joke that the boy couldn't understand._

"_First thing you should know about fighting" he said to Itachi."It's to never get in the way of your superiors. You'll only get killed. What's more, if you fight, you fight alone. Nobody here will help you, you need to understand this. But the same applies to us. We fight on our own, we don't intervene. It's shameful to ask for help. Remember it."_

_Itachi was looking at him w__ith wide eyes. He nodded. It was nothing new- his father often said such things. The man seemed satisfied. "Good, now eat." He threw a piece of deer-meat which the boy caught and left._

_Young Uchiha ate in silence. He couldn't help but wonder if he had been a better son, his parents wouldn't have sent him away._

_Their journey to Grass was uneventful if not counting various training sessions he had to undergone. They were very different from his father's, but not better. There were no comments about his grip, nor exercises about chakra control or hitting a target. There were fights. Day in, day out he fought these men and it was more tiring than any training with Uchiha Fugaku. That didn't mean, of course, there wasn't some retribution if he had done something wrong. Here, if his grip was wrong, it was shown how easily it was to snatch a kunai from his hand, if his chakra control was lacking, his jump was too short or too long, if he couldn't hit a moving target, a kunai was sent his way, often that not, catching his arm or leg. It was also a good exercise at ducking- a skill most important in battle._

_Itachi was little and nimble but he was lacking stamina. It often proved to get him at the worst moments possible, making him an easy target for the incoming kunai._

_No matter how much he tried to push past his limits, it never ended well. On the third day, while already at the border with Grass, Itachi's legs were all cramped up so much he could barely walk. He was so miserable that he even asked one of the Uchihas if he had some lotion for the pain. The shinobi shot him a disgusted look and walked away, leaving him alone. After that, he didn't ask anyone for help. He gritted his teeth and pushed on, trying to ignore the pain that got even worse with each step he took. _

_Nights were only slightly better. They weren't in any hurry so they slept through all night. It meant that Itachi's pain dulled to a nasty throb but he had other worries. No matter how many times he wrapped himself in a blanket, he was insufferably cold. _

* * *

_Contrary to what his guardians may have said about him, Itachi wasn't stupid. He was aware that he will be expected to fight if the situation called for it. In his mind's eye he could see a group of seven men against seven Uchiha warriors, each of them facing one opponent. They'd all fight with one another to the death- of course only in name, a winner leaving his wounded opponent as expected of a honorable soldier._

_An ambush was never considered. _

_It was instantaneous. They were on an open field, nobody saw it coming. There was an explosion to their right, then the ground seemed to be swallowing them up. Four of the Uchiha plus Itachi managed to escape the swap, the four-year__-old clutching at one of the shinobi's vest. He immediately let go of it. He looked at the ninja next to him but to his astonishment they were all smiling. _

_No. They were grinning. _

_Before them, was a lot of Iwa ninja__- much more than Itachi could count. Without a warning, the battle began. Uchihas rushed into the battle, their blood urging them, making their moves faster, sharper, deadlier, Sharingan blazing. They completely forgot about the young heir, leaving him behind unprotected._

_Itachi crouched as low as he could, hiding from view behind a giant rock. He was watching the battle with wide eyes, unable to comprehend. These men were traveling with him, fighting with him and now, it was as if he saw them for the first time._

_It was something unearthly about them, their movements fluid and graceful, every thrust of their swords sharp and accurate, grins and laugher on their lips._

_Itachi wanted to be with them._

_It was so beautiful._

_He wasn't aware that ,for the first time, he activated his Sharingan._

_And then his thoughts shattered, as he watched closely the battlefield around him. It was strewn__ with corpses! Old and young, men and women alike, they were all laying there dead. Never able to return to their homes, their sons and daughters, never able to drink tea or eat sushi, never able to feel sun or wind on their faces._

_Never able to live again._

_He vomited. The acid left him feeling sick and dizzy. He wanted to curl in the ball and never get up._

_But a sudden cry made him look up from his hiding place. A few meters before him__the last of his kinsmen was pierced by the sword. Itachi watched as the man fell, as blood spilled from his mouth, as he was shaken with convulsions, as his Sharingan faded away and his black eyes dimmed._

_There w__as nothing beautiful about it. Nor glorious or proud._

'_I'm alone now.'_

* * *

_Larynx._

_Spine._

_Lungs._

_Liver._

_Jugular._

_Subclavian Artery._

_Kidneys._

_Heart._

_They are the instant killing points on a human body. __Even though his father insisted on him learning their topography, Itachi prayed he wouldn't have to use this knowledge. Ever._

_It was already night and the boy was hungry. He didn't dare leave his hiding place for fear of being noticed by ninjas of Iwagakure. He drank all his water and now fervently wished he hadn't. He would have at least something to keep in his stomach._

_He hug__ged his knees trying to stifle the sound. He was so hungry. It was hopeless! He didn't even know how to hunt! He will die here, alone, not from the enemy's hand but from starvation! _

_Itachi fell into a restless sleep._

_Next days didn't prove to be any better, as anything they were worse. Itachi was turning mad from hunger. He finally decided that his only hope was to leave his rock and search for food. He didn't want to die._

_The boy was prepared. He waited for a night to fall, gripped his only kunai and walked out. _

_At night, battlefield seemed peaceful. But it didn't make Itachi feel at ease. He walked to his dead kinsmen, careful not to touch any bodies. __He stopped before one of the bodies._

_The man's eyes were wide open, just as Itachi remembered from the day they all came here. And then, at man's waist, a pack was secured._

_Itachi gulped and looked around. He suddenly felt like a thief._

'_No.' he told himself firmly. 'He's dead, it won't be of any use to him. I'm still alive.'_

_And with shaking hand he took the pack and opened it. _

_Inside were at least to sets of kunai and shuriken, few exploding bombs and a long wire. _

_And a stale bread._

_Itachi took out the bread and started to eat. He was so hungry that the old bread felt like one of his mother's delicious meals. His attention was so focused on his meal that he didn't notice he had company when said company decided to make himself present._

"_And what do we have here?"_

_Itachi's heart stopped. Two meters from him stood an Iwagakure ninja._

_It was a nightmare. It had to be! Itachi couldn't believe something like this happened. He was caught by one of ninjas who killed his relatives and were all-too-willing to kill him as well. It was the worst situation in the world._

_The ninja took out __a kunai slowly smiling dementedly at his prey. Itachi clutched his bread in his left hand and a kunai in his right. _

_The air was heavy between them. Nobody moved._

_And at the same time that the shinobi leapt at him, Itachi dropped the bread, reached to his pack and pulled__ out an exploding bomb._

_There was a flash of light. A grea__t cloud of dust rose and covered the moon._

_After it disappeared, the shinobi, coughing and sneezing, looked around trying to find the boy._

_But Itachi was nowhere in sight._

_The Iwagakure ninja starred. But then his frown was replaced with a smile. Bloodthirsty, inhuman smile._

"_Let the game begin!"_

* * *

_Itachi was running between the bodies, no longer caring about respect of the dead. He didn't know where he was going, he had to run, RUN, the fastest, the farest he could._

_He hoped his small size will be enough to disappear amidst fallen warriors but he knew he couldn't count only on that. He threw the bomb to distract his opponent but also to get away from him. He couldn't , after all, compare himself to the man._

_In the dark, it was difficult to navigate through the many bodies laying on the battlefield. However for some reason, he could see everything clearly, his vision sharp and focused. _

_He ignored the acute pain in his side, he couldn't stop, he COULDN'T..._

_He stopped. There was a stream before him._

_Itachi moved towards it, panting heavily. __'For all of things to appear...'_

_The stream wasn't wide, but the current was fast. What's more, crossing it in the middle of the night, was bordering on foolishness._

_He fell to his knees. Maybe the man gave up?_

_Something in the water caught his eye. Something red. He looked into it._

_A soft gasp left his lips. His eyes..._

_There was __Sharingan in his eyes!_

_It suddenly made sense__. His night-vision was an effect of his bloodline limit! _

_He heard a lot about their bloodline. He knew that Sharingan was awakened__ due to emotional trauma and life-or-death situation. It really shouldn't have surprised him._

"_Tired of running away?"_

_Itachi stiffened and slowly turned around. It seemed the adult hadn't given up on him._

"_Please, let me go..."_

_The shinobi laughed. "__Boy, I live to kill. I'd be a poor hunter if I let my prey escape."_

_He raised a kunai. "__Sorry, kid. It's nothing personal. I will make this quick." _

_He jumped._

_Itachi didn't know where the sudden spe__ed and strength had come from but he didn't let this deter him. He jumped out of the way and watched, as if in slow motion, how the man landed on his feet and turned towards him. Before he could raise his arm, Itachi caught his wrist and twisted it making the man cry out in pain and surprise. _

_But it wasn't the end. Itachi used his weight and pushed at the man's chest with all his might._

_The adult fell on the ground, the boy on top of him._

_Everything happened fast, too fast for the shinobi to follow. And then, the man saw something that made him question his sanity._

_The child's eyes were alight with the Sharingan._

"_U-uchiha? You are of the Uchiha Clan?!"_

_Itachi didn't answer him, the man's surprise could be his only hope._

Larynx. Spine. Lungs. Liver. Jugular. Subclavian Artery. Kidneys. Heart.

_The man was staring at him in shock, his eyes glassy and unfocused._

Hurry up, Itachi. Hurry up!

Larynx. Spine. Lungs. Liver. Jugular. Subclavian Artery. Kidneys. Heart.

'_No! I ca__n't!'_

_But the man was coming from the shock he was lost into, his hand reaching to his holster..._

LARYNX! SPINE! LUNGS! LIVER! JUGULAR! SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY! KIDNEYS! HEART!

DECIDE!

'_NO!'_

_Itachi grabbed a rock and slammed it on the man's head. The adult's eyes rolled and he went limp._ _He was unconscious._

_Young Uchiha got up, wiping the sweat from his brow. He felt sick. He was so close to killing this man... A human__ just like him. He looked at the man's body, feeling relieved seeing his chest raise and fall. He turned around and staggered towards the field._

_His head was killing him._

* * *

_His bread lasted him for a few days, but now that he knew where the stream was, he could fill his stomach with a bit of water. He wasn't sure, if the man he met was there or not but he didn't dare check._

_The battlefield was empty if not counting the dead. Itachi wondered if anybody will come for him. Surely, his parents will come to save him soon, won't they? After all, he was their son! If he doesn't come home, they will get worried, right? He just didn't know how long he was supposed to be here. It's already been two weeks. Certainly, they will come. _

_But for the next two days, nobody appeared._

_Itachi sat, hugging his knees to his chest. _

'_Where are they? Have they forgotten about me?'_

But, why would they come, if it was them who send you here in the first place?

'_No! My parents a__re always so busy. They just didn't have time, that's all!'_

Is it though? They have no time for their own son?

'_No! Chichi-ue and Haha-ue love me!'_

...Do they really?

_Itachi thought about his mother's__beautiful face, his father's scornful glances, his hard training sessions, his big house, its huge, colorful backyard, Uchiha insignia hanging from each tapestry, his nice, clean room, his warm bed..._

_And in the dark of the night, the only heir to the Uchiha Clan let a lonely tear escape from his tightly closed eyelids._

* * *

**_A/N: _**Once again- thank you! Next chapter will also be a flashback so prepare yourself. It will come soon- it's nearly finished.

Itachi is pretty messed up, is he? Yes, fonts are important. And I must say I'm kind of happy that you ask me questions but I hope you don't expect me to answer them. The story is planned out, I drop clues here and there- I'm one of these authors who let their readers decide how to read the story.

The preview for the next chapter is: _Chapter Eight: Hell_

See'ya!


	8. Hell

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

_Warning: Still not beta'ed. _

_Yondaime! *cries*_

* * *

Chapter Eight: Hell

_He couldn't sit still. He had to move eventually._

_That's what he decided after another sleepless night. It's not that he couldn't fall asleep. It's just every time he closed his eyes, he saw an enemy ninja sneaking up to him, trying to kill him. He couldn't afford any mistakes, if he wanted to live._

_He pushed himself up and dusted off, pushing his long hair from his eyes. His clothes were filthy __and started to resemble rags rather than clothes but there was no choice. He didn't have anything to change into._

_He walked around trying to find some food. So far he had been pretty lucky and not only he managed to find something to eat but he remained unnoticed. _

_He kneeled before one of the bodies. The dead shinobi was from Iwagakure if his forehead protector was any indication. Itachi reached for his backpack without any hesitation. _

_And then he heard it._

"_I'm telling you, he was from the Uchiha Clan! He had a Sharingan!"_

"_Yeah, right. An Uchiha brat, alone on some lousy battlefield? You sure have a wild imagination, Ikatsu."_

_Itachi looked around. He noticed, about 20 meters from him three shinobi from Iwa. There was a tall man that he recognized as his nearly-killer, the man who was arguing with him had long, pale hair pulled into a high ponytail, the third man was short and bulky. _

'_They are talking about me!' Uchiha thought shocked. He had to hide! They couldn't see him now!_

_But there was nowhere to hide._

'_Where, where, WHERE?!'_

'_Maybe... If I just lay still, they won't pay attention to me or they will think I died?'_

_It was a good plan, he reckoned._

_He pulled an arm of some shinobi and laid down as close to him as he could, recoiling from the odor of a rotting corpse._

'_No use. It's just for a moment. Just a moment.'_

_The v__oices were very close to him. They will pass him any time, now._

"_You just stumbled and hit your head, you were drunk!"_

"_Shut up, you slimy bastard! I know what I saw and it was... What's that?"_

"_Where?"_

_Itachi's heart stopped._

"_There, under that__ body."_

"_Hm. It looks like a __child's corpse."_

'_No, please, no!'_

"_Hey, it's that brat!"_

"_What?!"_

'_Please, please!'_

"_Yeah, that's him! I have some unfinished business with him! Get him here!"_

_Silence._

"_Why don't you go and check if he's alive, Ikatsu? You scared of a baby or what?"_

"_Don't call me a coward! And you weren't there! These demonic red eyes, watching your every move-"_

"_Yeah, the baby's eyes sure are scary, yeah."_

"_If you're not afraid, go to him yourself."_

"_Sure, why not?"_

'_It's the end. I'm going to die.'_

_He felt the blond, long-haired shinobi lean against him, trying to hear his brea__thing. Itachi held his breath. 'I can do this! Just go away.'_

_The ninja raised his head..._

_... And put his two fingers on the boy's neck. _

_The pulse was strong under them._

_Silence._

"_He's dead."_

'_Wha-?'_

"_He's dead."__the shinobi repeated, straightening. "He probably died from starvation."_

"_Heh. Pity. I'd love to pay the brat back" said Ikatsu smirking. "Well, maybe I will play a little with his remains."_

"_No."_

"_What did you say?"_

"_Are you deaf or__ stupid? I said 'no'. It's low even for you to take out your frustration on a corpse."_

"_Who are you calling stupid?! Get outta my way!"_

"_No." this time it was the third member of the party. His voice was gruff and rough as if he didn't use it often but there was a note of steel in it. Itachi realized that this man had to be their leader._

"_But taichou-"_

"_Leave the dead to rest in peace. One day, you will end just like them."_

_Ikatsu was mumbling something under his breath but didn't disobey. The long haired shinobi walked to his comrades._

"_Let's go."_

_It was already night __when Itachi returned to his hiding place, wondering all the way why an enemy ninja decided to save him._

* * *

"_You should be more aware of your surroundings, kid. Someone may stab you in the back."_

_Itachi turned slowly around. Before him stood the blond haired ninja who saved his life. The man had blue eyes but there was nothing warm about them. There was a barely controlled insanity in them; Itachi was suddenly reminded of the adult's other colleague. He didn't feel safe. He wanted the man to go away._

_The shinobi shot him a crazy smile._

"_I brought you something." He pulled__ bread and a piece of meat._

_Itachi didn't move._

"_Kid, if I wanted your death, I would have sold you to Ikatsu. By the way, you don't need to worry about him. He... met his demise in an unfortunate accident" The grin on the man's face said plainly that it was anything but an accident._

_Uchiha looked at him and then moved suddenly towards him. A second later the bread and meat was gone from Iwa's shinobi hand._

_Itachi glanced at the food and then at the ninja._

"_Why?"__ his voice was hoarse from disuse._

"_Huh? You are not grateful to your savior?"_

_Itachi looked blankly at him then repeated the question._

_The ninja shot him a baleful look and with long-suffering sigh answered:_

"_I have a son at home. You must be around his age. I must say I felt... uncomfortable with sending you to your death, merely a child. Besides, you are only useful, when you are alive."_

_He flashed another one of his 'I'm insane' grins and without skipping the beat, started talking again__. __The boy suspected the adult really liked to hear himself talk._

"_Let's get this straight: you owe me, kid. I saved your life and only you doing the same for me can square this debt. You get it?"_

_Itachi looked bewildered._

"_But how-?"_

"_Unfortunately, I return home tomorrow. I doubt you will be able to save me in a few hours. Besides, a weakling like you can't save an ant from getting squashed, least of all a shinobi like me." He looked proudly around as if waiting for an ovation. Needless to say, it didn't come. "But before you ask, there's a solution for this."_

"_Wha-?"_

"_If you won't manage to square the debt to me, you can do it for my son."_

_A pause._

"_Why? Why would you ask me-?"_

_The ninja scoffed._

"_Oh, come on! Don't make me say this! You come from a good ninja stock; you've survived on this battlefield alone for... I hazard a guess here... a month. Not to mention, you defeated Ikatsu, who may be... or may have been... a talentless little prick, but was no pushover. And if he was right, you are an Uchiha." There was a self-satisfied smile on his face. "For any non-Konoha shinobi having an indebted Uchiha is a one more point above other mortals. And I'm pretty sure you two will meet one way or another."_

"_But... Why do you think I'll even meet him? Isn't Iwagakure safe-?"_

"_Feh, that village? No. My son won't let things like loyalty to a village limit him." There was a far away look in his eyes. It looked foreign on his face. "He's an artist, even I can see that. He'll grow to be a great one. Everybody will know his name, know his face, know his... art. Only a look- that's all you will ever see, before your life ends in a one fleeting beautiful moment. Though, he's better at explaining this than I am." It was the only thing the man said that could be called humble. _

_Itachi looked at him, perplexed__._

"_But… He will be a criminal!"_

"_Pft. You Konohians- always with morals- too afraid to call shit by its name. Understand something boy- for all the-so-called civilians we already are criminals. We don't feel- we act on our orders. If a Kage tells you to go massacre thousands of people you go and do it. How's that not evil? How's that not a crime?"_

"_That's not like that! Hokage-sama would never give such an orde-"_

_The ninja laughed, but it was a chilling and ugly laugh. "Who are you trying to convince here kid? I've been in this business long enough and your precious Hokage is quite capable of doing something like this- why do you think there's so much hate between Iwa and Konoha?"_

_Itachi lowered his eyes. "B-but… He's only doing it because it's necessary."_

"_Of course it's necessary! It's the world we are living in! That doesn't change the fact that in the eyes of these people's families you will one day kill, you will be worse than Devil himself. How dare you call a criminal someone who has guts to tell the strongest man in the village: "I quit."? At least, being an S-rank Missing Nin, he won't have to answer to anyone but himself. Anyway, isn't it because of your Sandaime's order that you are here now?" _

_Itachi frowned. He didn't think of the possibility that Hokage may (or may not) know about this mission and his presence here. That old man who died (there was something frightening about saying "was killed") did say something about a favour… Did it mean his parents were the only one aware he was in Grass? But, if the mission was from Hokage himself, it meant his parents defied him by allowing their son to tag along. And what if it wasn't a mission from Sandaime? What if nobody from outside his clan knew about them at all? What did it make his parents? _

_The man was still watching him._

"_Your parents, kid... They've taken you with them, the irresponsible gits they were, and got themselves killed, right?" _

_Itachi was silent for a moment and said in a soft voice:_

"_I'm alone now."_

_The man didn't __appear to be sorry for him, rather happy than anything._

"_Well, two enemies less on this world. But don't worry." He seemed unusually somber. "You are a part of the Uchiha Clan. Even we in Iwagakure know you lot are treated like royalty in your village. They will send a rescuing squad any day now." He straightened up then smirked gleefully. "Remember our bargain, kid. My boy will be able to defend himself, I'm sure. But you are my emergency plan, got it?"_

"_Are you... Are you going to tell him?"_

_The shinobi looked disgusted._

"_Hell no! Who do you take me for?" Then he grinned widely. "You are going to keep your promise all by yourself, squirt. I know you will. You good boys are just that way- easy to rope into some high-moralistic-shit." He raised his right hand. "Ja-ne."_

_Itachi backed away. There was a MOUTH on his palm! He could just see it- a rim in the middle and white teeth! And... Was that a tongue?!_

_The lightening cut the sky and the shinobi disappeared. The storm was coming._

* * *

_It was raining for days, not once stopping. The clearing was flooded, the stench a of rotting body even more pronounced than before, now accompanied with a strong smell of ozone._

_Ever since he could remember, Itachi was fascinated by storm. There was something undeniably beautiful with the way the lightening cut the sky, its many branches spreading through atmosphere in a majestic manner._

_Now, wi__th awe came respect. He no longer looked naively into a sky, hoping to catch just a flash of its light; now he made sure to find a safe place to hide first. He'd seen what a storm can do; disregarding the heavy rain and the hectoliters of water it brought, it took just a second to light a nearby tree on fire- Itachi didn't even notice when it happened._

_He learnt to avoid open spaces and high structures- these were most likely to get struck._

_On one__of these rainy days (which one was it? He couldn't remember) Itachi was woken up by explosion that certainly didn't sound lightening-made. He ran to the clearing and stopped._

_There was a battle raging on._

* * *

'_They've come! They've come for me!'_

_It was the only thought that bounced around the child's head. He leapt into the battle and navigated through many lifeless bodies and fighting ninjas. Not one paid any attention to him, but that was okay because they'd come for him!_

_His doubts about his parents seemed so stupid now. How could he even think about such things? He would have felt like a total idiot if it wasn't for the fact that he was so relieved._

_He decided to crouch as low as possible and slowly inch towards the just arrived group. It'd a problem if enemy shinobi noticed him now, wouldn't it? _

_He didn't recognize any shinobi he passed but that was alright. He had never left his family's compound so it was unlikely for him to know anyone__ else. He just had to move..._

_And then he froze._

_A ninja that some Iwagakure shinobi __killed fell before him. The enemy didn't notice him; he already was engaged in a duel with another._

_But Itachi couldn't keep his eyes from the fallen man, namely his headband._

_The symbol wasn't a leaf; it was four vertical lines._

_Rain._

_Amegakure._

_It couldn't be! It was supposed to be a leaf. Surely, they've come from him!_

_He looked around. Now that he was looking for it, he was able to discern their forehead protectors. There wasn't any Konoha insignia._

_A hope that bloomed with the beginning of the battle withered away, leaving a painful hole in him._

_Then suddenly he understood with terrifying clarity, that they will never come. Nobody will come for him. He was alone, so utterly alone and he will stay alone for the rest of his useless life._

_Itachi turned around and left the battlefield. Nobody called him back._

* * *

_The battle ended quickly. All Amegakure ninja were slaughtered. Itachi almost wished he could be one of them. _

_'One of them...' The thought surprised him. He didn't think…_

_With fascination, he pulled out his trusted kunai. The blade was sharp- it would only take a thrust straight to the heart. And it would be over: no more pain, no more fear- just like falling asleep right? He wanted to sleep… For so long he was denied that… Now he needed just a little push…_

_He pointed the kunai at his chest and took deep breaths- his last ones!- and pulled it forcefully towards himself._

_The kunai stopped just inches away from his small chest, not even cutting the fabric of his shirt._

_His heart beat frantically, pumping that disgusting blood that kept him alive even when he so desperately wanted to die._

Concentrate, Itachi. It will soon be over… You will fall asleep… You just need a little courage… Just a little push...

'_Yes.'_

_He clenched the kunai tighter- but the moment he felt the tip touch his skin he dropped it, horrified at what he almost did. He looked at the weapon with fear that it will bounce back and attack him. _

'_What am I doing?'_

"_What the hell am I doing?!" he screamed. He felt disgusted with himself; he started pulling at his hair and clothing as if he wanted to cleanse himself from some invisible dirt. 'What's going on? what's happening? Stop, stop, stop, Stop!' He couldn't. He was clawing at his face, his long nails cutting into his soft skin and he wasn't able to stop. He was screaming but couldn't understand what, he felt as if all of this was happening to someone else. He started running; he wanted to get away from this place, from this madness, to do something anything just not to be here any longer. He only stopped when he reached the river. He looked into it scared of what he may see. His reflection stared back at him with empty dead eyes with cuts all over his face and he almost couldn't believe he was seeing himself. He gingerly touched the surface and watched as his reflection did the same._

_Suddenly he felt angry. He never felt such anger in his life. He wanted to scream, laugh and cry at the same time._

"_You coward!" he screamed at his image. "You pathetic, useless coward! See what you've done! It's all your fault!" He slapped the water and was happy to notice his reflection disappear. "Serves you right! Moron! Idiot! Who would want you as a son?! That's right- no one!" He started to laugh- it was all so ridiculous- why was he screaming at himself? It was so completely unreal that he wanted to laugh. _

_Soon his laugh turned into tears and he wasn't even sure when he started crying. He fell asleep on the bank of the river with no one by his side._

_His life became a routine: find food, eat, fight, sleep. __Time stretched mercilessly because his nights seemed so impossibly long, spent mostly on staying alert. There were times when he woke up, Sharingan activated, searching for the unseen enemy. Sometimes he had to hide not only from ninjas but also from wild animals that came at night, lured by smell of blood._

_He started to forget his home. It was easier to forget that long ago, in previous life he had a family, a warm bed to sleep in, __and delicious meals to eat. These memories were too painful for him to keep. They only reminded him how much he lost._

_So he discarded them. _

_And one day... One day he met a man with sunny hair, sky-blue warm eyes that looked at him in concern not disgust or anger. A man that__ broke through his walls, made him trust again, made him feel again and made him understand..._

_That he was not alone._

* * *

**_A/N: _**I decided with this chapter that there will be a sequel. This story is far from over but still. It's already decided.

Anyway, I don't know when I will post the next chapter- the majority of it is still under revision- and there won't a preview. Sorry!

I can just tell you this is the last flashback (as if you didn't already notice). Thank you for all the reviews (WTF?! You liked the last chapter that much?!). I'll try to update ASAP.

Enjoy!


	9. Sleep

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

_Warning: No beta. Revision done at night. Proceed with caution._

* * *

Chapter Nine: Sleep

There was a long silence between them.

Minato placed the boy on the ground, his head bowed. No matter how Itachi tried, he couldn't see the man's expression.

Suddenly, the wind was blowing, leaves rustling and falling around Namikaze. The adult raised slightly his right arm and the wind ceased to move. Startled, Itachi noticed that around the ninja's palm, chakra started to gather, visible to him even without the Sharingan.

Chakra swirled and flowed, forming a sphere- a blue ball of liquid energy.

There was a swish and a second later Minato was standing before a tree, thrusting his right hand into,_ through,_ it.

A tree fell, split cleanly in two.

Itachi flinched away, both terrified and amazed at the display of such power.

Minato, on his part, was glad the child couldn't see his face. He only showed _that _kind of expression to his enemies. He didn't want to scare the Uchiha more.

Smoothing his features carefully, he turned back.

"I'm sorry."

Itachi laughed nervously.

"It's alright... I'm just surprised... _The tree_..."

"No."

Minato shortened the distance between them and kneeled before Itachi. He put his hand, _the same hand he just used to destroy that tree_, and slowly stroked the child's kunai-cut hair.

"I'm sorry." there was a raw emotion in his voice.

Itachi looked at him and hesitantly put his much smaller hand on the man's.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Minato-san."

Namikaze sighed, running his fingers through the boy's short tresses.

"I just wish I had known... You would have been spared this pain..."

"It's not your fault! How could you have known?"

"Exactly. I didn't know but it doesn't make me any less guilty. Lack of knowledge can't be an excuse for not preventing a disaster, especially when my profession is to gather all the information concerning my people. I... the village... we can't be forgiven."

Itachi was starring at him with an almost angry expression. Then he said:

"Well, I can. I forgive you."

Namikaze's eyes widened. He laughed seeing such serious expression on the child's face.

"You are a peculiar child, Uchiha Itachi! Too forgiving!"

Suddenly Minato's face darkened. He hastily bowed his head again, not wanting for Itachi to see him.

"Itachi."

He looked up, all traces of mirth gone.

"I won't let you come back to them. I will-"

"No!"

Itachi was alarmed. He didn't want to change anything. He wanted to come back to the life he had before… _Before_. He couldn't explain it, but he was certain that his parents had their reasons. And… He wished to forget and pretend as if nothing happened. Changing anything now would just remind him about _that _and he was afraid to face this again.

_What if they don't want you back, Itachi? What if they really… wanted you to die?_

Itachi's eyes widened. He didn't… consider they wouldn't want him… want him back…

He was trembling violently and clenched his teeth, trying desperately to remain in control. He knew it was a bad idea, saying all of this to Minato-san. How foolish of him. Did he really hope it would make him feel better? That it would all miraculously go away? He was only faintly aware of the man's presence- he tried as the last hope to ask him something, something important. He was so scared to voice that wish before but right now he had to hear this even if it would turn out to be a lie:

"Please, I don't want to be alone anymore…"

He was pulled of his feet, and suddenly there were arms around him and a hard chest before him, his first thought was to cringe away but Minato-san was whispering "I'm here, Itachi. I'll always be." and he was flooded with relief so powerful he started laughing and crying but there were tears of poor happiness and he was holding Minato-san for dear life and he felt the warmth that Minato-san was always carrying finally reach him and it was the best feeling in the world and he never wanted to let go of it ever again.

The sun never seemed brighter before.

* * *

Minato knew he was staring. He knew Itachi knew he was staring. Seriously, the nerve of that kid…

It was night already, and while it was an unspoken agreement between them that Namikaze will keep watch, Uchiha seemed keen on frustrating the living hell out of him by refusing to sleep.

He knew why of course. But it still pissed him off. Especially that Itachi was doing all he could to keep Minato in the dark about his insomnia. Like that would ever happen.

"Itachi, you're not sleeping."

To his credit, Itachi didn't try to fake his oh-so-sudden-awakening but also refused to even look at him. Minato sighed.

"We've already had this conversation before." At this Itachi twitched slightly but otherwise didn't move. Namikaze put his hand on the child's shoulder. The boy didn't flinch but seemed to curl into himself and that worried the jounin.

"Why?" He knew why of course but couldn't let the Uchiha build his barriers around him more than he already did. It may be a fool's dream but he was more than willing to try. He was, after all, one of these fools that refused to give up.

There was long silence between them but neither moved. Eventually, Minato heard Itachi's muffled reply:

"I'm scared." Minato expected as much. He laid down next to the boy and said softly:

"Have you even tried?" this at last provoked the intended reaction. Uchiha turned and exclaimed angrily:

"Of course I have!" then he noticed he was face to face with the man and averted his eyes. "I have." He mumbled looking at the dying fire beside them.

Minato didn't say anything, just waited for Itachi to explain himself. "I see them." The boy said quietly. His gaze drifted to the dark trees but quickly locked with Minato's blue ones. "T-the bodies… and b-blood… I still see _them_." He didn't elaborate on "them" but Namikaze had a fair guess who "they" were. "I just _can't_…" His small hands clutched the blanket which was draped over his shaking form. Minato watched him a moment before covering his little fists with his comparably large hands. "You blacked out sometimes when you were in Grass, didn't you?" It was more a statement than a question and Itachi gasped. "How do you-?" "It didn't last long, of course. But sometimes you felt so exhausted that you just couldn't control it, right? It didn't matter what you were doing, whether you were eating or simply watching your surroundings… Suddenly you were sleeping and you didn't even know when. And after you woke up you were furious that you fell asleep and vowed to never do that again only to do it after few days. Am I correct?"

Uchiha gaped at him but after a moment he smiled and said happily: "So it's normal! I was worried that-"

"No."

The smile disappeared from the child's face at the man's serious tone. Minato continued in a gentler voice: "It's not normal, Itachi. It's your body's reaction to so little sleep. A child like you should sleep at least ten hours _daily_." After hearing this revelation the child's eyes widened. "Lack of sleep is not only detrimental to your memory, general well-being or growth but also your immune system. A system that protects you from infections, illnesses." He added seeing a confused expression on Itachi's face. "When your own body forces you to sleep- it's a signal that you are not sleeping enough. Next time you can fall asleep while in enemy territory- do you really want to risk that? Not to mention that you won't develop if you deprive your body from rest. So you see: it's not really a question if you want to sleep or not- you _must _do it, preferably sooner than later." Itachi looked at their intertwined hands but after a moment shook his head.

"But I tried! What good it will do if I once again see that place?! I won't be resting that way!"

"I know." Minato squeezed the small hands. "And I know that my answer will be unsatisfactory but… With time, you will heal. You will learn to put the past behind, to let go." "When?" "I can't answer that. It won't happen in a day, it won't happen in a week. But I can assure you," He smiled sadly at the boy. "the sooner you learn to sleep regularly, the better. You, both physically and mentally, will grow strong enough to move on. What do you say?" he asked quietly. Itachi seemed to weigh his options carefully. After a while, his eyelids dropped slightly and Minato knew the answer. He pulled his hands away to make the child more comfortable but stopped when he heard Itachi say:

"I'm cold." _Please, don't leave. _

Namikaze smiled and hugged the boy closer to him. Uchiha snuggled into his chest like a cat and held his jounin vest as if afraid that the man would disappear.

"Don't worry about it." _I'm here._

* * *

"_Itachi-kun." _

"_You will be sent with some of our Clan members to Grass."_

"_Please, chichi-ue!" _

"_Shinobi Rule #25…"_

"_Dance boy, dance!"_

"_Don't think poorly of me."_

"_Take this, kid. Now, get out of my sight before I kill you." _

"_I live to kill."_

"_You die today, boy__."_

"_Remember well: I'm not your ally and I'll be the one to hunt you down if you try anything funny. Take your food and get lost."_

"_You wanna know what pain is?"_

"_I just wish I had known... You would have been spared this pain..."_

"_Squirt!"_

"_Come, sit near me, child."_

"_I'm cold."_

"_Don't worry about it."_

"_That way, you will never be alone."_

When Itachi woke up, the sun was already setting. He rubbed his eyes tiredly but instead of getting up, he snuggled further into his futon. Or at least that was his plan, before he heard an amused chuckle. He cracked open his eyelids (which somehow was harder than he remembered) and his gaze fell on Minato-san. He may have growled something at him but it was incomprehensible even for him.

"Good morning. Or rather- good evening." Minato-san winked. He seemed happy for some reason. Itachi had no idea why and wasn't too concerned with it- the pillow looked really friendly at the moment.

"Oh no, you don't!" he faintly heard the man say before he was yanked by his collar and brought closer to the fire where something delicious was being cooked. "You need to eat first. Later you can sleep all you want."

'_That's right. I was sleeping.' _thought Itachi. He was actually surprised- he couldn't remember when the last time he slept so well was (and while he dreamed about Grass, he still managed to somehow sleep through the whole day, it seemed). He suddenly yawned. He felt more tired than before!

"It's normal. You are going to feel this way until your body decides it got enough rest."

Itachi groaned and looked balefully at him. Minato only laughed.

"When you stop your pouting ("I don't pout!"), maybe you should look around."

The boy blinked but did as he was told. The surrounding area looked so familiar… _'These trees… I know them! Does it mean…' _He got up and ran to the only place clear of trees. He gasped.

There, bathing in the rays of the setting sun, was his home village- Konohagakure.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" said Minato walking up to him and placing his hands on his shoulders. Itachi looked up. There was so much love, so much _tenderness_ in the adult's gaze it was almost unbelievable that he was looking at bunch of houses.

He bit his lip. He wondered for some time…

"… _Isn't Iwagakure safe-?"_

"_Feh, that village? No. My son won't let things like loyalty to a village limit him."_

But when he watched Minato-san there were no limits. When Minato-san was concerned, the mere idea of limits was laughable. And yet, the way he was looking at the village right now, indicated he was loyal, probably even more than Itachi thought.

That man he met made it sound as if a village bounds someone, denies him freedom. However, while it was without doubt true that there come responsibility and duties, Itachi felt that being a missing-nin must be terribly lonely. He couldn't understand why someone would willingly choose such fate. He wanted to belong somewhere, he wanted to have a home to return to, friends to talk to, something that would anchor him, remind him that he was alive. He wasn't sure if it was freedom but he _wanted_ it, _choose_ it with his own will.

So, maybe it wasn't such a bad thing?

* * *

They spent the night about five kilometers from the village gates.

For some reason, Itachi didn't feel happy. He wanted for both of them to stay alone for just a little longer. The fire before them, clear star-lit sky above them- it was all so peaceful and soothing that he wanted to stay like this forever. He was being selfish, he knew. Minato-san probably had a family and friends to return to, why should he waste it on some kid? He was afraid to admit that he, Itachi, may not even have _that_. He grew attached to the jounin.

He liked him. And he didn't want to come back.

"Are you excited?"

Itachi looked up. Minato was watching him carefully.

"I... I don't know."

Namikaze put his arm around the boy.

"You have nothing to be scared of. I'm sure your parents will be thrilled to see you alive," He stomped on his own doubts without hesitation. "You survived war. You fought bravely, even though you are so young. They will be proud... as I am."

Itachi gasped. He felt tears pricking his eyes. He lowered his head. Minato pretended not to notice and pulled the boy closer.

"I hope we will stay in touch."

Child nodded into his chest.

"... I won't leave you alone."

"..."

"..."

"... Thank you."

* * *

They reached the village at noon.

When passing the gate, Minato whispered a simple "I'm back" to the two dark haired shinobi at the desk. Each of them starred after him and his companion, before looking at each other.

"Was that-?"

"Of course! He came back, at last!"

"But who was that child?"

"Who knows?"

Meanwhile, Minato and Itachi walked slowly up the road Namikaze went with his fiancée so many days ago, _'So much happened since then...' _

"It's about time."

Jounin looked to his right. There, in a shadow of a tree, stood Uzumaki Kushina. He smiled.

"Indeed, it was too long." _'...But she's as beautiful as ever'_

Kushina walked to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"It's good to see you."

Then she shifted his gaze downwards.

"Who's the squirt?"

Itachi gaped at the woman before him. He had never seen a ninja like her. The woman wore bright orange pullover under her open jounin vest and, as if that wasn't enough, orange trousers. She had long red hair that wasn't restrained by any tie.

She was the "unstealthiest" shinobi he'd ever seen.

He realised she was waiting for an answer and said quickly:

"I'm Uchiha Itachi. Pleased to meet you." He bowed.

Kushina didn't blink but Minato could tell she was surprised.

"Uzumaki Kushina. Is this" she turned to her fiancé "the orphan I've heard about?"

Namikaze nodded seriously.

"Care to expla-?"

"Namikaze-san."

All three froze. This cold, hard voice- it was unmistakable.

Uchiha Fugaku.

Minato cursed mentally. He hadn't realised they were so close to Uchiha compound.

Itachi looked the most startled but composed himself quickly.

"_Chichi-ue_." His gaze shifted. "_Haha-ue_."

Namikaze and Uzumaki just noticed Uchiha Mikoto. She stood beside her husband, completely emotionless.

Out of corner of his eye, Minato noticed Kushina mouthing the words "_Chichi-ue_" and "_Haha-ue_". He didn't blame her. One couldn't get more formal than that.

"We thank you, Namikaze-san for returning our son to us. Now, let us take him where he belongs." came Fugaku's voice.

Minato bristled. _'Itachi doesn't belong to anyone!'_

"Come, Itachi-kun." said Mikoto raising his hand to him. She smiled slightly at him.

The child looked helplessly around.

"B-but-" _'Can't I even say a goodbye?'_

"Don't make us wait, Itachi." came his father stern voice.

"Hey, wait a sec here, _teme_!" it was Kushina. She put her hand protectively on Itachi's shoulder, preventing him from going anywhere.

Fugaku's eyes shifted to the red-head as if just noticing her presence. However, he didn't speak.

"You are going to explain yourself here! What's going on anyway? Did you actually _send_ your child to Grass? And what's with this cold shit anyway? Is this how a father treats his only son?"

"Don't presume to tell me how to raise my own son, Uzumaki-san. He's my responsibility and I'll raise him as I please."

"That's where you are wrong, Fugaku-san." came a calm reply from Minato.

The air thickened ever more. Tension was palpable and Itachi could hardly breathe while watching this strange confrontation. He brought his shaking hands up to squeeze Kushina's fingers. She reassuringly squeezed back.

Mikoto looked straight at the male jounin.

"What do you mean by that, Minato-san?"

"... Let's not beat around the bush, shall we? I know what you've done to Itachi."

Fugaku and Mikoto narrowed their eyes but were silent. Their son unconsciously leaned against Kushina. There was such anger, such _rage_ in Namikaze's voice that it cut into the boy's very core even though it wasn't directed at him.

"I think you are the most despicable human beings that could ever be born in this village." Now that he had these two who orchestrated the whole thing, Minato felt furious.

No, that'd be putting it lightly.

"You will never understand why we have done this." said Fugaku softly. "We had to do this, for his own good."

"Don't give me this bullshit." Minato growled. "Do you have any idea how much he suffered? How much he still suffers?"

Itachi's parents were silent.

"If it was up to me, he wouldn't have to return to living with scum like you."

"I suppose it's a good thing you don't have this kind of power, _Namikaze-san_."

"Yet." Kushina added smoothly.

Fugaku snorted. "Namikaze-san knows that he cannot interfere no matter which position he holds in the village." He smirked slightly. "It's clan's privilege after all."

Yellow Flash only smiled but it wasn't his usual happy smile. It was dark, almost menacing and Itachi couldn't believe he was the same person who saved him.

"Certainly. Unless I find you to be a threat to the village, _Uchiha-san_."

Both Uchiha narrowed their eyes at that. "What are you insinuating?" growled Fugaku.

"Isn't it obvious? Maybe I should save myself trouble and finish this here and now?"

"How arrogant! No wonder you are Hokage's candidate!" Sharingan appeared in Clan Head's eyes and he smirked. "You are welcome to _try_."

"Now, now what do we have here?" came a soft voice.

All present snapped their heads up. No one noticed they had company. In the shadow of the trees stood Orochimaru. He wore a very unpleasant smile that made Itachi's skin crawl.

Fugaku and Minato moved away from each other- they weren't aware they were so close to one another. They watched with caution as Snake Sannin's eyes slid from them to the boy standing before Uzumaki.

Orochimaru, not taking his golden orbs from Itachi, whispered: "So that's the young Uchiha genius…" His smile grew even wider than before. "What a… delicious surprise."

"You-!" started Kushina but Minato cut her off. "What is it you want, Orochimaru-san?"

With great regret Sannin moved his eyes to Minato- Itachi thought he saw a flicker of hatred in them but it was gone a second later. "What I want is not really your business, boy… And I don't really care if you and Uchiha-san" here he glanced dismissively at Fugaku who grew tense the moment the pale man revealed himself. "kill each other but I was sent to tell you that _Hokage_ expects you." He said it in the voice that indicated he found it all so much boring and below his notice.

Minato cursed mentally. _'And if I don't come quietly, you probably gave him a free pass to insure I don't start anything with them, didn't you, Sandaime?'_

"He also wishes to remind you" said Orochimaru while checking his nails "that any interference into Uchiha Clan's- _any clan's_- personal affairs is absolutely forbidden. We wouldn't like to have such a blemish on otherwise perfect record, especially before official nomination, would we?" The look he gave Minato spoke clearly that _he_ wouldn't have minded.

Namikaze relaxed his stance. There was a soft rustling of the leaves and he was sure that a squadron of ANBU Sandaime sent did the same. "Perfect." Orochimaru said sarcastically and with a last look at Itachi walked away. However, the ANBU didn't move from their hiding places, most likely to make sure that none of the jounin attacked each other without the Sannin's supervision.

Minato sighed and finally turned to the young Uchiha. Strangely, the boy seemed to avoid making the eye contact.

"Itachi." He made a move to put his hand on the 4-year-old shoulder, however, before he did, the boy flinched away. It was almost unnoticeable but the man saw it. He dropped his hand and smiled uneasily. "If you still want to go with them, go now." _'I scared him. Namikaze you utter imbecile!'_

Itachi looked at him carefully. Finally he walked from Kushina's weird embrace and stopped only when he was inches away from Minato. He whispered, looking at the ground: "I told you I wanted to stay with them."

The man's reply was a simple: "I know."

The boy glanced up at him but quickly averted his gaze. He blushed. "You don't need to be worried. I'll be fine."

Minato looked sadly at him. "No, you won't."

Behind them, Fugaku snapped impatiently: "Itachi!"

It was Kushina who answered him: "Shut up! Let them have their moment. You owe them at least that!" But Itachi only had eyes for Namikaze. Challenge was shining in the adult's blue orbs. "I'll prove you wrong, Minato-san." he said confidently. "I hope so." Yellow Flash smiled but voice betrayed his concern. He put his hand on the boy's head and stroked the short hair. This time Itachi didn't move away. "I'll see you, hm?" Minato asked lightly.

Uchiha's lip quivered- he looked tearfully at the man. He unexpectedly moved forward and hugged the future Hokage but before Minato could return it, he was already walking towards his parents.

However, Mikoto swiftly cut the distance between them and put the boy into her arms. Itachi froze. He had never seen his mother react this way. It felt so unnatural, so unlike than whenever Minato-san touched him.

"I made your favorite, today." she whispered

Itachi didn't know how to respond to that so he replied with a soft "thank you". His father didn't say anything. He turned on his heel and before they knew it he was already walking towards the compound.

"Minato-san." said softly the dark-haired kunoichi.

Minato looked at her. There were tears in Mikoto's eyes- they were exactly the same shape as Itachi's and for a moment he could see her son's reflection in her. The moment ended and he remembered who exactly was staring at him.

"I'm not going to change my mind."

"I know. And maybe, it's for the best." she swallowed. "Thank you."

And she followed her husband, with Itachi looking from behind her shoulder. He waved happily to the jounin. Namikaze waved back.

Kushina turned towards him.

"You better be quick about killing that old coot. You still have some explaining to do."

* * *

**_A/N: _**God, this chapter was a pain to write. Seriously, I re-wrote all chapters except this one.

And the answer for Itachi's disease in the manga is finally revealed: he didn't sleep enough! Mwahaha (actually, it's true you know) I wonder if you know why I make Itachi look at the trees when he's confronted with some uncomfortable questions... Just a random thought- I do that when I'm sleep-deprived (it's 1am here!). Btw, I love Orochimaru- he's fun to write. Anyway, I don't know when I'll update next but don't expect it soon (it really depends on various things). Here's a preview:

_"You are too kind. One person is not capable of fixing the world, even if it's you. Our world is beyond help. As long as shinobi exist, there will always be children like Itachi."_

Enjoy&Review


	10. Confrontation

_Disclaimer: 'Naruto' belongs to M. Kishimoto, Viz, TvTokio. I make no money from this._

_Warning: Not beta'ed. You know the drill._

* * *

Chapter Ten: Confrontation

Night was hot and humid, almost feverish in its intensity. Those unfortunate who were not allowed sleep wandered aimlessly under a full moon. Second December's nights rarely brought such a hazy mood to a shinobi village- as if it was put under a spell. In a far part of the village, in the Uchiha Clan's house all seemed calm and quiet, but in one of its rooms- one person was still awake. The room itself was nothing special: it had a desk and a bed in which one could clearly distinguish a form of a small child.

The figure laid still, unaware of being watched by another being hidden in the shadows. The watcher didn't move, didn't even flinch when a raven landed on the window sill, its intelligent eyes looking inside the room.

Suddenly, the air shifted as the intruder walked with practiced silent grace to the bed. The moonlight revealed hard and worn features and many would hardly recognize the usually imposing man that was Uchiha Fugaku. His gaze, always so sure and cold, was now filled with love and shame as he looked at his sleeping son. He hesitated a moment before reaching towards the child's unruly hair. But his hand never made it- he stopped it inches away from the boy. He closed his eyes and when he opened them there was no love, no shame; only burning determination and resolution. Fugaku turned from his son and left the room, soundlessly closing the door.

The raven, satisfied with what it had seen, flew away with a soft fluttering of its wings.

* * *

"What did he say?"

Minato sighed and put his arms around his fiancée. After his… talk with Sandaime he was too angry to return home. Kushina knew better than to try and seek him out. He hated acting this way- he didn't want to alienate her but it was unavoidable. He was a shinobi, he could control his emotions.

That's why the times when he _couldn't_ were better spent in some isolated place where he could let out his anger on some unsuspecting tree. Or rock. Or _mountain_.

He sat down and sighed heavily. He didn't sleep that night and judging by dark circles under the woman's eyes, neither did she. He immediately felt guilty even though it was completely ridiculous. While he didn't tell her anything, she still chose to suffer with him. It was one of these things he couldn't quite grasp about her.

"Nothing unexpected." Kushina snorted at that. "Sure, that's why you are so angry. Just tell me what happened."

Minato could already feel the headache coming.

* * *

"_What the fuck do you mean you won't do anything?!"_

_Sarutobi just looked at him heavy eyes and made no reply. After a moment of silence, Minato spat through his clenched teeth, trying unsuccessfully to calm down: "Why?"_

_The Third Hokage stood up and walked to the window. He turned, apparently watching the beautiful view before him. Then he said softly: "What would you have me do?"_

_Minato took a deep breath and answered: "Send an investigation squad and have them observe the Uchiha Clan."_

"_Hm. And I'm supposed to do this based on… what exactly? A hunch?" _

_Namikaze gritted his teeth. "I told you, why…"_

"_What you told me doesn't indicate in any way that Uchiha are planning something that could be considered a danger to Konoha."_

_Minato watched him in disbelief but suddenly narrowed his eyes. "You knew?" Sandaime shook his head "No. I had no idea." _

"_But that means they did defy you! They left the village without your permission!" _

_The older man sighed and looked straight at Minato. "Danzo has the power to give orders without notifying me." _

"_WHAT?!" Danzo, the leader of ANBU, that power-hungry son of a… "When did you come up with that?!" "You are the last person I need to explain this. We were… still are… at war. Time is the key. If I had to give out every order for every shinobi out there- our efficiency would drop- we couldn't allow that. That's why Danzo, the elders and I have equal executive power. It's only temporary though." He added as an after-thought. _

"_Then ask them-"_

"_I also allowed Clan Heads to send an investigation squad if the situation called for it."_

_There was a moment of silence. "So, that's it, then? We can't check if they are planning something, we can't force them to tell us the truth; we can't DO anything because you gave them these "privileges"-"_

"_Minato." Sarutobi's voice turned stern. "I think, and please don't be offended; you grew too attached to that Uchiha boy." Namikaze gaped at him. "What are you-?" _

"_It's understandable. After Obito-"_

"_What Obito has to do with anything?" It was bad enough he questioned his objectivity but he also had to drag Obito into this?! Obito, whose death was his failure, his fault, if he was just faster, smarter… "It's not about him anymore! There is something suspicious about this, it needs to be investigated properly, it could endanger the whole village!"_

"_What if there's nothing? What if you are wrong?" Hokage wasn't looking at him anymore- his gaze was fixated on portraits of the First and Second Hokage. "They didn't trust them either." He whispered. "If I do this and Uchiha notice, it will only fuel hatred. They could become a very danger you speak of. I can't risk that."_

"_But if they ARE planning something, you are risking open war again!" Sandaime turned his head towards him. "I'll trust them." Minato clenched his fist so hard he felt blood run through his fingers._

"_What about Itachi? Doesn't it seem odd to you that Fugaku would send his only son to battlefield?"_

"_Well, the war is ending after all… And the child will have to learn eventually-"_

"_Stop, just stop!"_

"_He may become a great asset to Konoha-"_

"_I said STOP!" he slammed his fist on Sandaime's desk. The pure brute force behind it was so great that the wood crumbled as if made of paper. Hokage didn't even blink. "You have NO idea…"_

"_Now, don't be a hypocrite." scoffed Sarutobi "I know you- you thought about it as well."_

_Yes. He did. He also thought about Itachi's eyes when he first met him. These inhuman, wild, animalistic eyes…_

"_It doesn't change the fact that this child's innocence was destroyed forever. He went through hell, with no one to turn to, no one to trust. I was only able to pick up pieces- nothing more! He's just as broken as he was before! And yet-"_

"_I'll say it again- you grew too attached to him. Minato-" Namikaze hated the pity he saw in the older man's eyes. It just enraged him more. "You are too kind. One person is not capable of fixing the world even if it's you. Our world is beyond help. As long as shinobi exist, there will always be children like Itachi, you can't stop this."_

_Minato looked at him in cold fury. "Maybe the shinobi system is wrong. Maybe we just shouldn't exist."_

"_If you are going to think like this I don't suppose I should make you a Hokage, then."_

"_Oh, don't worry" replied the younger man, smirking ironically. "I'm already beyond help. In this case: I'm already a failure. All I can do is to insure that incidents like this won't happen again. But remember: there will be someone one day that will fix this. He will put an end to this never ending hatred. It will happen just as surely as that you will grow to regret not listening to me. Conflicts should be resolved when they are still young- letting them mature will come to bite you when you last expect them." And with a flash, Namikaze Minato was gone._

* * *

"So, let me get this straight: Sarutobi Hiruzen- _the_ Sarutobi Hiruzen- trusts you enough to be a Hokage but not when it comes to clans, is that right? Well, maybe your little confrontation with _teme_ a little undermined your position but still! I guess the man is going senile…"

Minato was grateful that she was taking his side (or any side that's against the Uchiha) but he knew she also was puzzled by his reasoning. He sighed. "You don't have to make me feel better. I know he's logically right." Kushina bit her lower lip. "Well, everything can be explained rationally- or as rationally as it comes to these red-eyed bastards- but there's nothing that disproves your own theory… I guess it really is the matter of trust." And then as an after-thought she added: "Just for the record- I don't trust them. I wouldn't trust anyone who could do something like this to a child." She grimaced. "It's… _revolting_."

Minato hid his face in his hands. "I know, but… You weren't there. You haven't heard him say all of this- in that moment I already knew something was up and yet… Maybe it is just a hunch- just a feeling." He snorted. "Is it because of this war that I'm starting to see enemies even among my allies? Or maybe I'm right? What then?" he laughed mirthlessly. "They are truly masters of deception- I don't even know whether I'm jumping to conclusions because of my personal feelings towards them, or because they really are plotting something. And now it got even more personal." He rubbed his temples. He was so tired.

Kushina frowned. "You know, I think you are being a little unfair towards yourself. You never were prejudiced against Obito, who was from the Uchiha Clan… And even though I'd really like to see you punch that Fugaku-teme, who really is the most… _unpleasant_ person I ever met- and I met a lot of scum in my life!-, I know you'd never really do it, no matter the circumstances. Now that I think about it- yesterday was actually the first time you confronted him out in the open." She smiled. "That's more like my way of doing things. Should I feel flattered?"

Minato didn't answer, just pulled her closer to him. "Who could blame me? After what Itachi said… I don't think I'm able to forgive myself that I let something like this happen just under my nose! And now he's with them- I doubt they will give him the proper care he needs! I-"

"Minato." For some reason, Kushina sounded amused. "You are acting as if Itachi was your son." She laughed at a bewildered look she was given. "Maybe you should just go to sleep- you're really starting to sound a bit self-hating to my taste and that's unlike you. Relax, I'll take care of everything." she grinned and got up. Minato shifted away. He knew that smile and it never boded well. _'Okay, screw the supposed coup- now I'm worried!'_

"Where are you going?" it usually pays off to be wary around his fiancée. Other times, it really doesn't matter.

"Someone has to take over that rehabilitation process until you are fit to continue, of course."

_'And you are the one to do it_?' thought Minato skeptically but didn't dare say that aloud. The expression on Kushina's face was indicating that She. Meant._ Business. _

In a matter of seconds, kunoichi had showered, dressed and was already at the door.

"I'm going out! See ya!"

Minato only had the time to think: _'Itachi is doomed.' _before his fiancée's next words reached him:

"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot! You have a meeting with that old pervert at 11 o'clock! Something about Hokage preparations or whatever!"

Namikaze looked at the clock.

It mercilessly stated 10:57.

_'Why do I love her again?'_

* * *

Something was different.

Itachi couldn't place it. The number of stones in the backyard was exactly 138, the grass was the same shade of green as before and there was 7 _koi_ in the pond. Like always.

And yet something changed. He furrowed his brow. Was it the oak in the corner? No. Or maybe these strange flowers that his mother was so fond of? No, that wasn't right. Even the birds on the fence didn't look out of place.

'_Strange. It almost feels like-'_

"Itachi-kun."

He nearly jumped out of his skin when his mother called him. He turned around and caught her annoyed expression. Mikoto grimaced and said carefully: "You have a guest."

Itachi was bemused. _'Who-? Oh.'_ He brightened instantly. _'Minato-san!'_

But when he entered the living room it became apparent that he was mistaken. On one of the mats sat that strange woman he met yesterday. He tried not to show his disappointment but he had an inkling that the redhead caught on it nevertheless. She seemed oddly out of place, especially sitting in the most inappropriate position he'd seen. His father would definitely not approve.

The woman- Uzumaki-san he recalled- smiled brightly and somewhat mischievously at him.

"Hey there, kid! How is it going?"

Itachi was taken-aback for a moment but quickly remembered himself. "Good, Uzumaki-san, thank you for asking." Kushina raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. Instead she turned to Mikoto and her smile turned utterly sadistic. "Well, Itachi, your mother decided that you need some time from these stifling walls and agreed for me to take you out for a dinner. Doesn't it sound delightful?"

It was difficult to judge who was more surprised about this confession, Mikoto or Itachi.

However it was Mikoto who first found her voice.

"Just wait a sec-"

"Oh, don't be so modest Miko-chan. It was your idea after all. I'm so deeply touched that you'd trust me with your only son's well-being." With that, Kushina pulled out a tissue out of nowhere and wiped away her (fake) tears. Mikoto gritted her teeth and was about to retort back but a soft voice stopped her.

"May I really go, haha-ue?" asked Itachi. Mikoto's argument died before she could even form it.

"Um, I mean… Itachi-kun, you… want to go?" The phrase "with _her_" was left unsaid.

Itachi hesitated but after a moment quietly replied:

"If it's alright, I… I'd like to go." He blushed, not used to having such conversation with his mother.

Mikoto bit her lower lip but didn't say anything. Instead she turned to a silently cackling Kushina, she put her hand on the other woman's shoulder in something that only looked like a friendly pat.

"I _sincerely_ hope you'll take _good_ care of my son, _Uzumaki-san_." _'Or I'll chop your head off.'_

"Not to worry, you can count on me, _Miko-chan_." _'Please, as if you could, hoe.'_

And without further ado, Kushina took Itachi's hand and sprinted away from the Uchiha compound with the poor child flying helplessly behind her.

"Ichiraku Ramen, here we come!"

'_HELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!'_

* * *

Teuchi thought himself to be quite successful in life. He had a beautiful wife and an adorable daughter (even though sometimes, Kami help him, he wished she stayed clear of the kitchen). He loved his job and though it wasn't the most profitable job in the world, he prided himself to be the best in this line of work. Yes, life was good.

But there were times when even he, the master of ramen, found himself surprised.

Teuchi didn't like surprises. Teuchi didn't like surprises that appeared out of nowhere. Teuchi, _especially_ didn't like surprises that appeared out of nowhere in the form of a female red haired ninja with a black hole instead of a stomach.

It _always_ caused him to drop whatever he was holding, usually a newly made bowl of the-best-ramen-ever, _goddamnit_.

"Say, Teuchi, you sure you don't need help with the stand? I mean, you're such a klutz, I've no idea how you manage to run this place by yourself…"

Teuchi quickly reminded himself that 80% of his income consisted of Uzumaki's bills and yelling: _"It's all your damn fault, woman!"_ would definitely lower that to a zero.

He bravely put a well-practiced smile on his face and said: "How may I help you today, Uzumaki-san?"

Kushina snorted.

"Cut the crap, Teuchi. Do we really have to go through this every time I come here? I mean, I practically leave here, you know- show some emotion, man!"

The man sighed.

"Seriously, Kushina… You really need to lay off ramen- it's not healthy. You need some variety in your menu- some vegetables would do wonders for your figure."

"Minato, you aged." Shinobi rolled her eyes. "And what did you mean "would do wonders for your figure"?! You implying something, old man?" At this point a dark menacing aura surrounded Kushina and her green eyes glowed dangerously. Teuchi only smirked and replied back: "Well, let's just say you can't be young forever, can you?"

Kushina growled once more, before calmly sitting down: "I actually do like vegetables- I just prefer ramen more, thank you very much." With that she grinned happily, all traces of killing-mood gone. "Anyway, I will have the usually and the brat will have the same." She pointed to the… something that was laying on one of the stools and was suspiciously silent.

Teuchi frowned. _'Brat?' _He squinted. Now that he was looking more closely he could identify the object as a child- quite young one at that. _'Is he two? Nah, three at most.' _The kid's face was green and he looked as if he just survived a hurricane attack. The Ichiraku owner shrugged before returning to his work- it was none of his business.

Behind him, Itachi seemed to finally regain consciousness. He glanced warily around, the action not missed by the woman sitting next to him. She gently put her hand on his shoulder and whispered in a soothing voice:

"It's alright. Remember where you are and with whom. I may not be Minato but I'm tougher than I look." she winked at him and Itachi let himself relax. She was different from her fiancé, that was true, but not in the bad way. While Namikaze Minato was serious and contemplative, Uzumaki Kushina seemed more playful and carefree but at the same time just as dependable as the future Yondaime.

'_It's the hair.' _thought Itachi looking at the red-head as she devoured her ramen. _'It must be the hair.' _

They didn't talk much. Surprisingly, even with such an open and talkative woman sitting right next to him, Itachi didn't feel uncomfortable. She was definitely more perceptive than his parents gave her a credit for.

"I'm surprised." came a soft voice. Itachi turned to the woman, a questioning look on his face. "I thought asking about Minato would be the first thing on your mind. And yet, you don't say anything." said Kushina between mouthfuls.

Itachi fidgeted in his seat before answering.

"I-it's not that I'm not curious…I just didn't know I should ask…"

Uzumaki looked at him from the corner of her eye. She sighed and said seriously:

"Teuchi, can you give us some privacy?" Teuchi raised his eyebrow but nodded and left them alone. Kushina turned to Itachi.

"It's understandable- you don't have to hide it, but…" she stopped, thinking about her next words. Finally, she said:

"Minato used to mentor a gennin team."

Itachi looked at her in surprise. "I-I didn't know." _'Never bothered to ask' _he admitted to himself.

Kushina waved it off. "Not surprising. But I believe you must have known one of his students. He was your cousin, after all. His name was Uchiha Obito."

Itachi felt himself blushing. "I-I'm sorry, but… I don't… I don't know him." Kushina frowned but after a moment she mentally slapped herself. "Ah shi-, I mean, don't worry about it- even if you met him, you wouldn't remember- you were too little."

"What happened to him?" asked quietly Uchiha.

The jounin tapped her fingers on a tabletop, choosing her words carefully. "He died. He was sent on a mission to Grass and died. Minato came back too late- he managed to save Obito's two other teammates- Kakashi and Rin."

Itachi flinched violently, hearing the name of _that _place. And before he could help it, he felt dread pool in his stomach. He could see where this was going. His cousin died in Grass whereas he lived- was he in Minato-san's eyes only a replacement for Uchiha Obito- the one he couldn't save? He felt oddly betrayed- he thought Minato-san cared for who he was, not who he represented… He turned away from Uzumaki, hiding his face- he didn't want her to see his tears.

"You're probably wondering why I'm telling you this stuff…"

'_I don't want to hear it. Please, just don't say it because if you do, you'll make it final. At least now, I can pretend I'm wrong…'_

"Minato is that kind of a man who wants to protect everyone. He doesn't care how- he simply doesn't want anyone to die. Whether it means his own safety would be endangered, it's of no concern to him. Isn't it foolish? Not wanting anyone to die? After all, people die all the time, especially at war. Imagine the horror he felt when it was one of his students that died because he was on a different mission at the time." She closed her eyes. "Whether he saved you because of your resemblance to Obito- I cannot answer that. He probably thought about it at first, but truthfully: you are not like him at all." A smile. "Minato…" When she opened her eyes, there was a soft look in them. She wasn't looking at Itachi anymore- her gaze was already far beyond him. "He knows how to connect to people. This is truly a rare skill and for a ninja to have it… Well, it can be both a blessing and a curse. He wants to save, protect any person he meets. If you were from Iwa, Ame or whatever he would have saved you regardless. He's just that type of a man."

That… wasn't exactly what Itachi expected to hear. He felt his lips twist into a silly grin- he half-heartedly tried to hide it. However, Kushina wasn't finished.

"And because he's such an idiot, he's always worried. Now he's very much concerned for you." She was no longer smiling- Itachi felt his own grin disappear as well. "When he's worried, he makes me worry for him- and I don't particularly like the feeling. Do you understand?" she asked. "He'll become Hokage soon; he won't be able to always be there for you. At the same time, we can't allow to sacrifice your future just like that."

Itachi bit his lower lip. "What should I do then?"

Kushina leaned over and gently put her hand on his shoulder. She wore a gentle smile.

"Know your limits, grow, and become independent. You'll be a ninja- you can't always depend on others to help you out. Even as a normal person- it's not always possible. But always know that no matter what, there are people who you can count on. After all, there are some things you can work out on your own, aren't they?" Itachi's eyes widened slightly but soon he smiled. He understood what she meant after all. He nodded.

Uzumaki grinned at him but mentally she was frowning. _'I honestly don't know how Minato is able to treat this boy as a little kid. He's not blind- he must have noticed this as well.'_

"Well, let's go brat. Your mother is probably planning on sending half your clan after you- we better get back."

"Okay, Uzumaki-san."

'_Behind this childlike face…'_

"Come on! You make me sound so old. Call me Kushina."

"Yes, Kushina-san."

"Augh!"

'…_rests an old and weary soul.'_

* * *

Itachi was walking through the streets of Uchiha compound. He shouldn't feel as happy as he did but there was nothing he could do about it. He liked the thought that he was helping Minato-san, even if not directly. And hadn't he himself said he would be alright? He promised. Kushina-san was right- he couldn't always rely on Minato-san- that's why the next time they met, Itachi would show him how much he grew. He will make Minato-san proud.

Suddenly he stopped. Something was not right. His heart rate quickened but he tried not to show anything. He closed his eyes and willed himself to calm down. After a while he opened them and discreetly observed the streets. He was alone. He resumed his walk, appearing as casual as possible. It was only when he was in his room, he allowed himself to bury his face in his hands, hiding from the world. It became so obvious now.

Someone was watching him.

* * *

**_A/N: _**Hehe, hi! It's been a long time but chapter 10 is finally up. I passed my exams meaning I have a lot of free time so I'll try to wrap up this story before October (hopefully before Kishie trolls my fandom). But I some good news (or bad news), it won't be the end of the story so... yeah, I know I said that already, just felt like reminding-_-;

Thank you very much for your reviews- any author's greatest joy is an ability to evoke desired emotions in his readers. Seriously, i love you guys *sniff*

There won't be a preview this time, because I _intend_ to update soon.

See ya!


	11. Freedom

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. Blablabla._

_Warning: If you find any mistakes, notify me._

_In celebration of chapter 550 of 'One Piece'. Forgive me for the shortness but I'm still in state of shock after that chapter._

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Freedom

'_Who is it? What does he want?' _for these question Itachi couldn't find the answers. He did partially know who may be responsible- it was apparent it was an Uchiha. He was lucky enough to leave compound many times in December (thanks to Kushina-san) and noticed that whoever it was that was watching him never left the Uchiha district. Whether it was because of this person's inability to leave or because it was too risky or bothersome to continue his surveillance in the village- Itachi didn't know.

"Itachi-kun? Are you ready?"

Itachi sighed, fixing his kimono. Today was January 1st- the whole village was celebrating New Year. Itachi heard a lot about the up-coming festival and, unsurprisingly, he really wanted to go there. He had never been on one before (at least he had no memory of such event) and he was dying to see it. He half hoped that Minato-san, who he hadn't seen since the day they returned, would magically appear and whisk him away but so far Itachi hadn't heard a word from him. But then again, he thought bitterly, which sane person would willingly get up at 4 am to visit a shrine?

Because, unfortunately, that was where he was going with his parents.

"Yes, haha-ue."

Hatsumõde was an old tradition practiced in Uchiha Clan, where a person on January 1st visited a shrine, praying for good luck on a new year. In itself it didn't sound too bothersome but Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto, being quite conservative people, spent hours at the shrine, the fact that didn't sit well with their son.

Itachi looked balefully at his parents. _'Why, oh why me?'_

"Itachi." said Uchiha Fugaku.

The boy in question quickly tried to mask his not-so-kind feelings towards his parents.

'_Don't tell me he saw me!'_

"Yes, chichi-ue?"

"When we arrive at the temple, we may encounter some members of our clan. I want you to be on your best behavior when around them."

"Yes, chichi-ue." _'Whatever. It's not like they are on their best behavior when around me. Hm… I think I spend too much time with Kushina-san.'_

Fugaku hesitated a moment before continuing:

"You are not required to remain at the temple for all the time. As long as you don't leave the main grounds of Nakano Shrine, you may do as you like."

Itachi blinked, before saying: "Thank you, I understand, chichi-ue." _'That was actually… kind."_

Nakano Shrine was more like a complex of temples than a single one. Itachi never saw anything like this: built beside Nakano River were at least ten temples, in each of them he could clearly distinguish standing or sitting forms of various Uchiha. When they passed, people bowed respectfully but none said anything. His parents lead him to the tallest building in the complex- he guessed it had to be the Main Temple.

Contrary to what one may believe, the Main Temple wasn't particularly outstanding when compared to other shrines- if not for its size, one would have trouble pointing it out. They passed the main yard and entered the building. There they stopped before high altar. Itachi noticed his parents atomically put their hands together in a praying position and he hastened to mimic them. He spent minutes like this, feeling absolutely silly. He didn't even know what he was supposed to be doing! He looked at the altar- his father said something about good luck so…

'_I wish for good lu-' _Wait. He did have something to wish for didn't he? _'I…I'd like to see Minato-san again. I know I'm being selfish, I know he's busy and that Kushina-san is sacrificing her free time to spend it with me but I can't help it. I… I miss him so… I just want to see more of him. That's it, I guess… So… Bye?'_

Itachi looked at his parents- both of them had their eyes closed, still and quiet.

'_Well… Chichi-ue said I could leave whenever I wanted…'_

He bowed and quickly went to the main yard. There wasn't much he could do by himself but at least he didn't have to pretend to understand this strange ceremony. He may as well do some sightseeing.

Main yard proved to be as uninteresting as one may imagine, however Itachi found himself rather anxious, while walking around it. The place seemed to emit dense, mysterious, almost claustrophobic feeling. He wasn't sure if this temple was just that special or was it true to all temples in general. Soon he wandered off a bit far from the Main Temple but mindful of his father request, he didn't leave Nakano Shrine. Surprisingly, it was unnaturally quiet, as if there was not a soul on the grounds, which was ridiculous, of course. Just minutes ago, the shrine was full of people; they couldn't just disappear without a trace, could they? Itachi sighed tiredly before sitting on the ground. He looked in the direction of the village- he wanted to go there…

"Caw!"

Itachi glanced around; before him stood a black bird, staring at him with dark eyes. He had no idea which species it was, but it figured that it was as much interested in him as he was in it. Itachi reached out towards it, but the bird moved away, now looking warily at him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." said Itachi, moving his hand away. To his surprise, the bird seemed to understand- it carefully inched closer to him. This time, when the boy pulled out his hand, it didn't move away, letting the child run his fingers through its feathers.

"Now, that's something you don't see everyday." came a cool voice.

Itachi gasped and turned quickly around, instantly locating the source of the voice. Behind him stood a tall man with short black hair and fathomless black eyes. He resembled his father a bit, with similar cheekbones and chin. Wrinkles under his eyes indicated that he smiled more than frowned. He was dressed in plain, dark kimono with a katana strapped to his waist. The stranger smiled at him but Itachi shifted awkwardly. The man was obviously an Uchiha, however Itachi didn't know him at all- he didn't know how to behave. He got up and bowed but was waved off.

"No need for such formalities. I apologize for startling you." He nodded his head curtly before continuing: "My name's Uchiha Izuna- pleased to meet you, young Itachi."

Itachi shook the proffered hand and replied: "Um, pleased to meet you too, Izuna-san. If I may ask, how did you know my name?" He blushed slightly, a little embarrassed.

When Izuna smiled once again, Itachi noticed that something was off about the way he smiled. He instantly focused on what the man was saying rather than _how_.

"Well, it's not exactly a secret who the son of the Uchiha Clan Head's is." He winked. "And as I said, it's not everyday you see a human child playing with crows."

Itachi blinked and looked down at his "playmate". "Crows?" Strangely, the bird wasn't calm like it was before the stranger's appearance. It grasped Itachi's kimono with its beak and tugged at it more and more insistently.

Uchiha Izuna kneeled down, glancing at the frantic bird. "Class: Aves, Order: Passeriformes, Family: Corvidae, Genus: Corvus. They are most commonly mistaken for ravens, even though there are nearly nothing alike- whether it comes to behavior or looks. The easiest thing to note is their size. A raven is larger than a crow. Ravens average 25" tall (64 cm) with a 4 foot (122 cm) wing span, about the size of a hawk, while crows are around 18" (46 cm) tall and their wings span 3 feet (91 cm), similar to a dove. The beak of a crow might look slightly thicker than that of a raven.

Secondly, you can note their particular color. Both are black, but a crow's feathers are a plain, flinty black, and can even have lighter markings, see here?" he pointed to at the crow's wings. "A raven's feathers shine with a blue or purple tint when the sun hits them." He turned to Itachi. "Of course, it's not all; I've just given you a general overview."

Itachi still didn't take his eyes away from the bird. "What are you getting at?" He finally looked the man in the eye. "What do you want to say?"

The man stared at the boy's face, before chuckling. "Nothing much. But you know, crows are rather shy- they don't approach just anyone. They are very intelligent- they even have the ability to recognize specific human individuals, they usually hunt in groups of other crows, called murders. Crows take advantage of this by maneuvering themselves through the dappled shades of the trees, where their black color renders them effectively invisible to their enemies above in order to set up complex ambush attacks- it's probably why they become a symbol of skill, cunning, trickery and thievery. And yet…" Izuna smirked. "Some view it as an example of filial love and devotion. I simply find it interesting that out of creatures that live here, you were approached by a crow."

For a moment, none of them moved, save from the bird which pulled more urgently at the boy's kimono. Itachi felt strangely disconnected from the world. He didn't want to (_couldn't_) look away from the man's eyes, as if in-so-doing would make him unworthy, something less than a human. Eventually, Uchiha Izuna broke the silence and said softly: "Your friend wants to tell you something."

Itachi looked at the struggling bird. The man added: "I think it wants to take you away from here. Maybe you should listen to it. Animals instincts are better than human's, after all."

Itachi hesitated. "My parents…"

"Are not here. Can you see them?" he asked mildly. Itachi looked in the direction of the Main Temple and to his astonishment, couldn't see his parents there. _'Where…?' _

"Don't worry about them. Something just came up that required their attention. Go, you won't get in trouble." He said that with so much confidence that Itachi felt foolish for even thinking of questioning him. Finally he gave in to the crow's persistent tugging and followed it out of the main yard. Before he left it completely, he turned around and asked the man:

"Who are you?"

He could see Izuna smile before his reply reached him: "Just an old man, who knows a little about birds."

It was only after the young Uchiha heir left the grounds of the Nakano Shrine, the person known as Uchiha Izuna admitted quietly:

"Just an old man who found an interesting little crow."

* * *

"Wow…"

Itachi couldn't take his eyes from the view before him. After a careful navigation through the village's streets, thanks to the crow, he finally arrived at the Main Street where the festival was being held. He didn't know what business the bird had in there but he didn't care- he was too awed by the spectacle before him.

Konoha's Main Street was unrecognizable below the decorations. Layers of ribbons and golden dust, various stands with food and drinks, game corners, children running around with kites, adults dressed in colorful kimono- everything around him seemed to vibrate with life and happiness.

Suddenly he felt wings brush his cheek and something soft settled on top of his head.

Something _cawing._

"Caw!"

'_That little…!'_

"What the-?! Get off, you stupid crow!" Itachi started shaking his head back and fort in effort to shake off the annoying bird. "MY HAIR IS NOT A NEST, IDIOT!" A replying caw indicated that the bird disagreed.

'_Well, that calls for desperate measures…' _

Itachi's idea was to simply grab the bird and take off across the street so that it wouldn't find him. Of course, the crow had different plans. When the boy's hands came too close to the bird, it clipped at his fingers.

"Hey! Stop it! Agh… Forget it. Just… Just don't make trouble, alright."

"Caw!"

Itachi sighed, but inwardly he was smiling. He entered the street. He soon became lost within the crowd. He couldn't decide on what settle his eyes on- everything was so fascinating! He was so focused on turning his head around that he didn't notice a person standing before him until he literally walked on _him_. A very familiar him.

"Itachi?"

His heart may have stopped beating for a moment.

"Minato-san?"

Minato blinked but then smiled happily. Suddenly, Itachi knew what was missing from Uchiha Izuna's smiles: his smiles never reached his eyes; when Minato-san smiled, his whole face seemed to lit up.

Namikaze swung his arm around Itachi's shoulders and brought him closer. The boy, blinking away tears, snuggled just a bit into the warmth.

"Eh… Itachi, what's that on your head?"

The boy snapped to attention: he completely forgot about the crow. "It's… I don't know honestly. It's just a bird that I think likes me, that's all." Strangely enough, the bird was calm and quiet, quite unlike to how it reacted to Uchiha Izuna.

Minato blinked but decided not to comment. He didn't think he wanted to know… He looked around and his eyes narrowed. "Where are your parents?"

Itachi bit his lower lip. He had no idea how to answer. He did disobey his father's orders but… "I… I don't know… Something important came up and they had to leave… But I'm not sure where exactly they are…"

Namikaze gritted his teeth. "So, they just left you alone?" He instantly started to calm down _'Save it for later.' _"No matter. How long since you've last eaten? Wait, don't answer." He said, seeing a stricken expression on the boy's face. "We'll find something to eat, there's plenty of that around. For now…" He pulled out a candy from his pocket and gave it to Itachi. "Have this, alright? I promise when we find Kushina, we will get you a decent meal."

Itachi seemed to be lost of words. "Um… Thank you." He looked at the candy: it was a strange one: there were three balls on a stick, each one a different color. "Mm… What's this Minato-san?"

Minato sighed. "It's dango. The one you're holding is Hanami dango. But let's not speak of it out in the open." He gave a conspirational wink and whispered, looking pointedly at a woman and a girl- both of them appeared to be chewing a similar type of sweets that Itachi was now holding. "If you speak about it, those two _Mitarashi_ will appear and take your dango away. So you better eat up."

Itachi looked at the crowded street. "How are we going to find Kushina-san here?"

Minato grinned. "I have a fair idea where she might be. Come on."

They moved through the street, comfortable silence between them. The young Uchiha put dango in his mouth. The taste was indeed very good and could see why people would like it, though it wasn't really exceptional. And there was just something on Itachi's mind… "Minato-san? Is New Year Festival always like this?" Minato smiled somewhat tiredly making Itachi frown in confusion.

"Hm. You see, it's been a long time since we were able to celebrate a New Year like that. With war, it never seemed like a celebration, and each future year was doomed to be like the one before: filled with conflicts and battle. Today, it's the first time in years we are truly free of that fate…" He looked down on Itachi, his tired smile turning into a happy grin. "Everybody decided to go all out, I guess!"

Itachi's eyes widened as he understood. "D-does it mean that the war is over?" he asked, voice full of hope.

"Yes. Truly over. And it won't happen again if I have anything to say about it."

Itachi grinned happily; he was grinning so much that his face started to hurt. Suddenly, dango in his mouth, tasted wonderfully extraordinary, he was even happy for the bird still sitting on his head. But then he was struck with a cruel realization: when making a wish today he didn't pray for this. His prayer was selfish, he knew, but it never occurred to him how much. Didn't he suffer through war too, like all these people around him? Why didn't he think? Didn't he care?

He clenched his fists. _'No. It's over. The time when I pretend it didn't happen is over. When did I become like this? Yes, it was just a simple wish, but it didn't even cross my mind. I can no longer pretend. Because next time war comes, I'll be useless like before. Powerless, hiding like a coward!' _he glanced at Minato-san who was looking at him with a worried look in his eyes. _'I-I want to be able to walk with Minato-san, side-by-side. I-I can't be just a burden! All this time I was only talking about it, but I wasn't doing anything! I can't possibly live like this- still hiding from my own self! I'm going to face it, I'm going to face Grass! No more running away.' _He grinned, feeling light, lighter than he felt in weeks. He looked straight at the sun and laughed. He felt the crow open its wings as it took off. He could see it fly away and in that moment he felt as free as that annoying bird.

Namikaze Minato smiled with a trace of pride and regret as he watched new era finally begin.

* * *

"… Two heirs to the clan? It happened only once and with disastrous effects- are we willing to take that risk?"

"Aren't we over exaggerating?"

"History taught us that such things have to be carefully assessed. So, no."

"Fugaku-sama, what's the Clan Heads' stance on this?"

"We already reached a consensus."

"What's that-?"

"We'll keep the baby."

"Mikoto-sama."

"The heir must be powerful, not only in mind but also in body and skill, in order to carry out the mission. This unborn child- his blood brother or sister- may become his spare."

* * *

**_A/N: _**Before you start your speculations with "OMGIZUNA- THAT MUST MEAN SOMETHING!" let me tell you this: hehe, no. I figured that a clan like Uchiha would name its children after historical figures for example Izuna who was probably a hero in his times. And I suck at making up names so we have Uchiha Izuna.

It wasn't as soon as I wanted it to be but you have Eiichiro Oda to thank for that; his last chapter was so mind-blowing that I couldn't think of anything else. Not to mention, I rewrote the whole chapter- again.

All the strange names can be found in wikipedia, and the stuff about crows and ravens are not pulled out of my... They're all true.

The next update will be... soon. I hope. Unfortunately, I may not have internet in August so I still don't how about the next update. God I need sleep- it 1am here.

Thankyou very much for reviews- hope you're satisfied with this chapter- I for sure am not.

R&R


	12. Hokage

_Diclaimer: I own nothing._

_Warning: No beta. You know the deal._

_I'm not asking for forgiveness. Those who read my profile, know why I didn't write. I still think you should stone me to death but hey, whatever makes you sleep well at night._

_On to the story!  
_

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Hokage

"Hi there, Minato! How's my favorite student do- _oh shit_."

Now, Jiraiya was quite familiar with Hokage Office. He spent some of his childhood years breaking in and laying around-_ekhm_- surprises for his teacher. He was an expert when it came to domestic habits of one Sarutobi Hiruzen. And the man in question couldn't keep his office in order even if his life depended on it. Yes, Jiraiya was a man not easily surprised by your average messy working place.

But this was just ridiculous.

Hundreds stacks of paper rose in intimidating towers that easily reached the roof. Truthfully, Jiraiya never understood the purpose of arranging papers like that- that form just begged for just-enough strong wind that would topple it in a second. Whatever little space left, that wasn't occupied by paperwork, was taken by empty cups of coffee and instant ramen. Jiraiya didn't want to know which unfortunate corner of the room served as trash bin.

And in the middle of all that, sat Namikaze Minato. His hair, already not a model when it came to neatness, looked as if it hadn't seen a comb in months. There were ink smudges on his face and fingers, not to mention quite a nice set of bags under his eyes.

'_Yeah.' _thought the Sannin. _'Bad timing.'_

Minato just looked at his sensei with an unreadable expression. _'Uhuh. Not good.'_

"Splendid." Was all he said.

'_Not good at all!'_

Jiraiya moved closer, carefully avoiding any stray object. You never know what can cause a domino reaction, after all.

"You know, when Kushina-chan told me, you're having those Hokage preparation meetings, I thought you'd be briefed about some awesome secret ninja techniques that are supposedly stored in this tower…"

"Yeah." Minato managed out. "I thought so too." He signed the document he was reading with so much strength that Jiraiya wondered if it left a mark on the desk. A brand new desk at that, he noticed. He preferred not to ask what happened to the old one.

"Well, I can't blame the old coot for dumping his load on fresh blood. I'd have done the same."

Minato rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure you would. Now, did you came here for particular reason or are you just passing by?"

"Oh, you know, I actually came to see my student becoming Hokage in a few days, but I guess it's no big deal…" The shinobi scoffed.

But his words caused the intended reaction as Minato put down his pen, raised his eyes and smiled slightly. "I heard he's a real douche bag and won't last a year in his new position so it was a waste of your time."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Geez, what a disappointment. And I had to postpone my date just so I could make a trip to Konoha. Land of Water is a long distance away, you know!"

When Minato just smiled tiredly, the Sannin put his hand on the other man's shoulder and added:

"I don't think I've ever told you how proud I'm of you, Minato."

Namikaze chuckled. "If you still believe I'm some Chosen One or Prophesied Child, I'm going to disappoint you."

"Oh, that old thing?" Jiraiya waved his hand. "I got over that years ago. That doesn't mean I don't have any high expectations for you, but…"

"Well, that's a relief." Minato laughed. "Because, if I had to add saving the world to my schedule, my fiancée would have gotten really angry!"

Both men shuddered as the image of Uzumaki Kushina on a rampage was scary as hell.

"Anyway," Jiraiya said. "if you need my help, all you have to do is ask."

The younger man smiled. "Thank you, sen-" "So, if you feel that your sex life has become dull lately, I can give you tips on how to… _spice _things up a bit. Really, ask right away!"

Minato was grateful for a thick layer of paper covering his desk as thanks to it his headache at least hadn't gotten worse. He raised his head and started to massage his temples when his gaze landed on the map of the world.

"Actually, there is something I'd like to ask of you, sensei."

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "Ah. I'm guessing it's not the porn you'll be asking for." He sat on a chair and regarded his student with serious eyes. "What is it?"

Minato didn't look at him right away; he seemed to be contemplating something. When he finally turned to face him, the Sannin shivered. He knew that the one sitting before him now was not his student, Minato, but Namikaze "Yellow Flash" Minato, the Hokage.

"I'd like to know if Uchiha Clan has any business with the nations surrounding Grass Country. I'd like to know if they have secret bases, weapon factories, long lost cousins, anything! Any contact they may have had with other nations- I'd like to know about them. Is it possible?"

If it was any other person, Jiraiya would have laughed them off.

"Hm. It'd take me some time… How much do I have?"

"However long it takes. But I'd greatly appreciate it, if you had something by August, September at latest." The Sannin frowned. "Eight months, huh? I'll see what I can do." He looked seriously at his student but didn't say anything. Minato would tell him everything in due time, for now it'd be better if he didn't know the details. Just in case.

Minato nodded. "I'd be grateful, sensei."

'_It's strange how well he adapts to every situation he faces. One would think he was giving out missions and orders for years. As if he was already used to being the one in control. You never cease to amaze me, Minato.' _

"Well, if we got the boring stuff away already, tell me: is Kushina-chan expecting a baby?"

"Sensei?"

"I'm asking because once a woman gets pregnant, her jugs grow even bigger! So is she?"

"Sensei…"

* * *

Itachi would have lied if he said that he had no trouble moving on. Actually, he would have lied if he said that he did move on.

The effects left on his body from the time spent on the battlefield were numerous and Itachi had no confidence whatsoever whether it would be possible for him to overcome them all. But there was absolutely no way he would go down without a fight.

And that proved as difficult as could be expected.

Mostly it proved difficult in places that the young Uchiha didn't even expect problems to be.

He was a shinobi. There never was any doubt that he'd become one in the future. There were no other possibilities. He came from the clan with the longest ninja history of all. As such he was quite familiar with weapons of every kind.

Well, it looked like some part of him strongly disagreed.

At first, Itachi didn't notice anything abnormal, mostly due to the fact that he refused to even think about anything concerning fighting. However once he promised himself to face what he liked to call "the Grass incident", he found himself in a rather strange situation.

Apparently, he, or more aptly part of him, denied existence of such objects like kunai. It's not like he didn't know how the kunai looked like, he simply couldn't understand what he was seeing.

At the beginning, Itachi couldn't believe it was happening but with time he noticed a disturbing pattern when it came to weapons. Shuriken, katana and kunai were basic ninja tools found in every shinobi house- also found in his household. And once his eyes landed on any of them, his gaze simply slipped past the item without his control. He couldn't even make himself look at it! And once he managed that, his mind simply refused to name the object in question! At first, Itachi didn't think much of it, but that was before he noticed bleeding crescent marks on the inside of his palms and metallic taste in his mouth.

He understood that it was more serious than he thought.

It took a lot of time and many sleepless nights for him to be able to touch the kunai without crying. He wasn't sure if his parents noticed but at that point he didn't care. Sometimes he thought he caught an unreadable look cast his way by either his father or mother but that was it.

For now, he could control himself enough that he was able to wield it without any outward signs. Even though his heart must have been racing 200 per minute while he did it.

Insomnia was another matter. What surprised Itachi was the fact that he didn't fear dreams as much as he thought he would. What made him lose sleep was darkness of the night. Or maybe not the darkness itself but the shadows he saw in it. Every time he closed his eyes he felt them moving closer to him, trapping and smothering him.

But he found an effective way to keep them at bay. He simply put the lights on. It had an annoying side effect of him going to sleep after his parents so that they wouldn't see him but he was willing to pay the price.

Actually he had gotten so good at it, that now all he needed was a candle.

It was a beginning. He hardly started the physical part of his training but truth was, he didn't think he was ready for that. When the time came, he'd know.

'_Anyway, Minato-san promised to teach me a few techniques once he gets some free time.' _thought Itachi as he prepared to sleep. His gaze landed on a kunai that he was bringing with himself all the time now, partly as a habit and partly as training. He lit the candle, put the matchbox next to the kunai and laid down. _'And Minato-san always keeps his promises.' _He giggled quietly to himself and settled comfortably against his pillow.

His mind started drifting, as it always did when he tried to sleep. He liked that part the most because he loved to let his imagination loose which caused various scenarios to appear in his head, some he didn't let himself even contemplate when awake. But this was his time and no one could disturb it!

But the moment he started slipping deeper into his dream he heard a strange noise. As if someone was tapping on his glass window. He frowned but it wasn't enough to fully wake him up. However, gradually the noise became louder and was accompanied by bluster of the wind. Itachi cautiously opened one eye.

It was the exact moment the window crashed open, the force of the wind strong enough to put out the only light in the room, plunging it into darkness.

Young Uchiha didn't even notice when he had his back pressed against the wall. It took him a while to notice that he moved on pure instinct. He was breathing loudly and deeply, trying to keep panic away. He moved to the corner of his room and slowly slid down to crouch, each muscle tense and prepared to run.

After several minutes when he was ready to blame the whole incident on his wild imagination, he heard another noise.

Creak. Creak.

'_Someone is in my room!' _was his only rational thought before his mind went into panic. Part of him yelled at him to scream for help but he couldn't manage any noise out. Another part told him that he was hyperventilating but he wasn't aware of breathing at all. He could feel tears making their way down his face and harshly bit his lip to keep from sobbing. It was not happening, he thought. After all the time he spent on getting prepared for such situation and… Why was he still alive?

He swallowed and tried looking around for the source of the noise but all he could see was pitch black darkness.

'_Light!' _he thought desperately. _'Light. Light. Someone, please, light… My matches!'_

He turned his head in the direction he supposed his bed was. _'I just need to get there…'_

Itachi thought, closing his eyes, trying to remember the topography of his room. He didn't even notice that he stopped hyperventilating and stood up.

A particular loud creak was his cue. He leapt from his corner, eyes still closed, flipped on the bed and reached for his matchbox. Relaying on his sense of touch only, he pulled out a match and lit it. Breathing deeply, he raised it above his head but he still couldn't see more than a meter around him, so he lit the candle. Without thinking much, he grasped the kunai in his right hand and the candle in his left and moved forward, his heart thumping fast.

"W-who's there?" he whispered. There was no response but creaking seemed getting louder. Itachi took a shaky deep breath and moved in the direction of the noise.

And nearly cried with relief.

Before him stood a bird. A rather large dark bird, which was looking at him in reproach, as if Itachi was interrupting an important act of cleaning one's feathers. And really, he probably was!

Uchiha sighed tiredly which was mostly done to mask the fact that he was so relieved. He suddenly felt very stupid now, for acting the way he did. Well, it seemed he still had a long way to go.

He turned to the bird. "Alright, go away." The bird didn't move. "I mean it. I don't have time to play around with you. Off you go!" he said waving his hand at the it.

But it remained in the exact same spot. It regarded Itachi with its strangely intelligent eyes.

Itachi frowned, but let his right hand sail millimeters above the birds head.

He might have as well done nothing as the animal didn't even flinch.

Itachi's eyes widened and he took a step back. "What are you? W-who are you?" he whispered.

What happened next, Itachi couldn't comprehend. The bird looked him in the eye and _smirked. _

Uchiha's mind went blank. "Who are you? No, go away! Away!" It was impossible because birds don't smirk, birds are supposed to fly away when you shout and wave at them, they're not-

His rapid thought were cut short as the bird raised its leg and gracefully took a step forward.

The floor creaked.

Itachi raised his kunai and pointed at the animal. "Show yourself!" he screamed.

And then, as if the darkness decided to play around with the boy's head more, shadows started to move. They twisted and glided and for a second Itachi thought he saw something: a silhouette standing where the bird was before, a shape of a person seen as if behind a thick veil. If he could just-

But the vision was gone as the animal turned and flew away into the night.

It took him a while to realize that someone was nearing his room and managed to turn just in time to see his father open the door and let himself in.

"Itachi? What happened? Why were you screaming?"

Itachi didn't want to think how ridiculous he must have looked, with kunai in right hand, and left hand covered with wax (how strange, he didn't even notice).

"I'm sorry_, chichi-ue_. I didn't mean to wake you-"

"I didn't ask if you were sorry. I asked why were you screaming." came his father response.

Funny, he didn't sound angry or disappointed. He sounded almost like he was concerned.

Itachi blushed. "Y-yes, I mean… My window was open and… a bird flew in and scared me, that's all." He murmured to the floor. "I'm sorry, _chichi-ue_."

There was long silence before Fugaku spoke:

"Well, it's gone now so go to sleep. It's really late, Itachi."

The boy sighed with relief. "Yes, _chichi-ue_."

He didn't even turn around before his father grasped him by the shoulders and spun him towards the man. "Itachi." Now the older Uchiha's voice was urgent. "Itachi, look at me, please." Even though he was whispering, Itachi could hear awe in his voice.

Itachi complied. Fugaku's expression changed from disbelieving to wonder in a matter of seconds.

"Itachi, your eyes!"

And he understood. Sharingan. That was what surprised his father.

He never told his parents about it, due to the fact he still couldn't control it. He wanted to master it himself.

But mostly because he never wanted again to be subjected to the training he underwent before his parents sent him to Grass. He wasn't sure if that wound, that betrayal would heal but now he wasn't ready to let go.

"Itachi, why haven't you told me you awakened Sharingan?"

Itachi didn't know what to say. "I can't control it." He said simply.

Fugaku narrowed his eyes but didn't comment. Instead he said: "It's a gift. It's been so long since someone so young managed to awake it." He closed his eyes tightly and when he opened them he was once again the unapproachable Uchiha Fugaku. "It's a gift, Itachi. It's a chance for you. I can teach you to control it, if… if you want."

Itachi bit his lower lip. That was what he feared. But on the other hand…

He thought of Minato-san and his promise. _'No more running.'_

"Thank you, _chichi-ue_."

Fugaku nodded and stood up. He was already at the door when he stopped and without turning said: "As… expected of my son."

Itachi didn't sleep well that night.

* * *

There was nothing exceptional about this day. The sun wasn't happily shining and the wind wasn't in the mood for dramatics. There was rain but not enough to call it a storm. The air was cold and fresh but it could hardly be named freezing. People who usually liked to play around with predictions didn't know what to make of it. It seemed like an ordinary day, one in many days of the year. Neither the beginning nor the end.

And maybe, if not for the ceremony that was taking place, it wouldn't have been a day worth noting.

The whole village clapped and cheered when the new Hokage took of his hat and said traditional words: "From this day on, Konohagakure no Sato is my responsibility, as the Fourth Hokage!"

And Uchiha Itachi was just one in a million that screamed his throat hoarse during that day.

Just one in a million.

* * *

Far away from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, in a place that nothing, not even animals dared to go to, under a makeshift roof, that protected him quite well from the pouring rain, sat a man. Long black hair shielded his face, but the hand jutting out from the voluminous cloak looked young and strong. He was leaning over a small rectangular table, made to resemble a chessboard. On two sides of the board, several figures were standing in various squares: black and white, both seemed to be equal in strength and both managed not to take many loses. Some people would think this game _shogi_, but the dark person preferred more… sophisticated games.

The man looked at the board, lost in thought. Finally he took a hold of a white knight and slowly but deliberately moved it two squares vertically and one square horizontally. The sound echoed through the small place, easily distinguished even with the storm next to it. The man raised his eyes and gazed expectantly at his opponent.

"Check. Your move, Hashi."

There was a flash of light as the lightning erupted in the sky and it was possible to catch a glimpse of the other player. However, he could hardly be called a man. His upper torso seemed to grow from a wooden structure, his hands unmoving and covered with bark. "Hashi's" eyes were closed and he seemed not to be aware of the other man's presence.

The first man didn't appear concerned. He made a clicking sound and reached for the black king.

"Don't worry, Hashi." He spun the figure in his hand before placing it with satisfaction next to the black queen.

"I'll make the move for you."

* * *

**_A/N: _**Thank you so much for your reviews and for sticking with me for so long. I wish you belated-Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May it be better than the previous one.

Oh, and the Izuna thing: think what you want. Maybe he's just a creepy guy, maybe he's Madara/Izuna in disguise, maybe he's Sasuke from the future but in that case you suck because he's really Mikoto from...

Eh, Read&Enjoy! *runs away*


	13. Responsibility

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

_Warning: Not beta'ed. Find any mistakes- notify me._

_Remember when this manga was about ninja kicking destiny's ass? Good times._

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: Responsibility

Left kick. Parry. Uppercut.

"_Sharingan is nothing but a weapon. A powerful one but a weapon nonetheless. To wield it properly, you have to become strong- physically and mentally."_

Somersault. Kick to the kidneys. Block.

"_Many of our clan awakened Sharingan successfully but never managed to use in battle. Why is that?"_

Right hook. Block.

"_Because they were weak."_

Block. Block. _Block._

"_Their uncontrollable eyes become their downfall. They drained their chakra to the point when they couldn't fight. Their bodies were weak, not used to such burden. But you, my son…"_

The world turned upside down and Itachi blinked at the blue sky above him, not quite understanding how he ended up in such position.

"… _will not follow them. I guarantee it."_

His father stood before him, a pensive expression on his face. Itachi got up and moved his sore body to a starting point. Fugaku looked at him a moment longer and finally said:

"Let's take a break."

Itachi sighed in relief.

It'd been over a month since he started training with his father. Contrary to their first practice session, the Uchiha Clan Head proved to be a competent if not a strict teacher. Itachi had no idea if it was because he himself was more experienced in terms of combat ability or if it was a genuine change in Fugaku. Nonetheless, he couldn't complain.

Of course, he still could pick up when his father was displeased- he really let it show when Itachi made a particularly foolish mistake- usually by giving him a look that left nothing to imagination if the boy tried to do the same move twice.

It was very effective.

Their training took place near Nakano River, not far from the spot where Itachi encountered Uchiha Izuna and that annoying crow. Young Uchiha wasn't unhappy when the bird disappeared because, frankly, it really was a hassle to take care of it and Itachi didn't have that much time on his hands. So it was a great surprise when he found a week from Hokage Inauguration Ceremony a nest on a tree next to his window with a familiar and very satisfied crow sitting in it.

Itachi may have shrieked (but only slightly) which was completely understandable since he became a little bit jumpy after the night when that strange bird appeared in his room. And he may have shouted a little bit at the crow for scaring him and disappearing for so long and what was it _thinking_?

He had a funny feeling that the bird was laughing at him.

It was just as well that it decided not to follow him to his practice sessions- he really didn't want to explain to his father why there was a crow following him around.

Speaking of his father, he was acting rather odd. Itachi looked up to watch Fugaku's face. For some time the man looked, for the lack of better word, preoccupied. Even now, with Itachi sitting next to him, he seemed to be far away.

Itachi glanced at his bottle of water and bit his lip. The silence between them was almost unbearable- he really wished he knew what to say in such situations. Why couldn't he be older? Adults always seemed to know what to say…

"Itachi." A quiet voice of his father pulled him from his thoughts. He looked expectantly at him.

Fugaku's eyes seemed to lose their focus for a moment but a second later became sharp again.

"What do you think of our clan?" he asked, watching his son carefully.

Itachi's eyes widened. He didn't expect such a question.

"I… well, I never thought…" he stammered. Truthfully, he didn't know what to think. He barely knew them. He barely knew his parents, for crying out loud! He wasn't sure what his father expected to hear from him, but probably any answer that wasn't a praise would be a wrong one. But Itachi couldn't bear to look in his father's eyes and lie to him like this.

Thankfully, Fugaku gathered his answer from whatever excuse he came up with and began firmly:

"Uchiha Clan is the oldest and most powerful of all clans in Konoha. We can trace our line right to the Sage of Six Paths. The shinobi way has been our way of life for centuries. It's our clan that knows everything about the ninja world. Ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu… We perfected those techniques and took them another level. There's no one that can compare to us." Fugaku's fists clenched before he took a deep breath and continued.

"Our… way hasn't changed for centuries and thanks to that Uchiha jutsu and most importantly Sharingan haven't lost their sharpness. It's a difficult road but when you pass it, you'll become more powerful than anyone. That's why it's so important to put your trust in your family and not some outsiders." He finished with a small grimace.

Itachi blinked. "But _chichi-ue_… What's that got to do with… well, anything?" he asked hesitantly.

Fugaku fixed him with look so dark that Itachi had to keep himself from looking away.

"They don't understand us. They don't understand our methods nor our abilities. They grow jealous of our power and try to tame us. They will only hold you back. It's yourself you should care about, Itachi. You, and our clan. Because only we can understand you."

It was that moment that Itachi understood the truth of his clan. He didn't need details or elaborate explanations of his history to know that Uchiha Clan harbored many dark secrets, secrets not accepted in the village. It was much more than tradition and customs. Even in his naïveté, he already grew terrified of whatever power he may hold in himself. The way his father said "our way" filled him with unexplainable fear. What secrets could his clan keep? What could it be? Wrapped in his dark thoughts he nearly missed his father's next words.

"You'll be a big brother soon."

Upon hearing this, Itachi choked on saliva and openly gaped at Fugaku who had a peculiar expression on his face. When he saw his son's sparkling eyes that demanded without words an explanation to this he coughed and said: "Your mother is expecting a baby. It should be born in July. The baby, I mean." He added, scratching his head in a process. Itachi made a mental note to check every book he knew about what these words meant and where exactly did the babies come from. But since his father seemed so knowledgeable on the matter…

"Where do babies come from?"

Cue the wind.

"The break is over. Let's go."

"But, _chichi-ue… _You mean, you don't know?"

Fugaku cursed whatever deity that was on today's duty for giving him a genius offspring that not only absorbed every trick possible like sponge water but also inherited its mother's big innocent eyes.

* * *

"I'm pregnant."

'_Well, there goes my tea.' _said Minato's subconscious when aforementioned beverage found itself on a table. Namikaze simply gaped at his apparently calm fiancée, incapable of human speech.

"W-what? How? When? Who?" Kushina snorted at that.

"Alright, so first of all: I'm pregnant. Second: you should damn well know how and if not I'll have Kakashi teach you about the birds and the bees. Third: after your inauguration ceremony. Fourth: it's ME, you dumbass, and the father should be obvious."

Minato looked at her a moment longer before his face was split with a wide grin.

"But that's wonderful! Awesome! We need to prepare a room! Oh, and a crib! All children need a crib, right? And-" here he stopped because he noticed how Kushina's tightly clenched hands slowly relaxed. As if in relief.

When Minato fell silent, it took one glance at him to guess what he was thinking.

"Minato…"

"You were nervous." He stated incredulously. He stepped closer to the chair she was sitting in and gently grasped one of her hands. He kneeled before her so she was looking right at him. "Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me?"

Kushina scoffed. "Of course, you didn't. But, well…" she hesitated a little. "We've never talked about children before."

Yes, that was the truth. In all honesty, for them talking about children was the same as talking about marriage. They'd had only one conversation on what they thought life would be after the war and they'd both agreed: now was not the time.

And of course it hadn't: with war on their doorstep it'd been unthinkable. But even now, they couldn't risk it. Not now when wounds of battle were still fresh in people's minds; with painful reconciliation between nations and reparations, it was so easy to rekindle old conflicts. Not to mention, being Hokage's wife meant living a life full of restrictions- especially now.

Minato loved Kushina dearly- and while he always feared for her safety, he, in his new position, had to take into account the good of the village. And Kushina was a formidable opponent on a battlefield and a force to be reckoned with. But really, the woman herself would oppose to any of his ideas of confinement in Konoha's borders. It was a miracle in itself that they managed to keep their relationship under wraps (it certainly helped that both of them weren't prone to public display of affection). Baring their closest friends, to the village they were just good companions. And a good friend is still less than a spouse. They wouldn't be able to hide their marriage from other nations.

They planned to marry a few years after Minato's Inauguration- just enough for emotions to subside. And children were to come later.

Minato knew this. But even now he couldn't help the happiness and joy he was feeling, the pride that came from these simple words: "I'm going to be a father".

"It's true but it doesn't change anything." He smiled brightly. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Always." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. Kushina's tinkling laugh made him smile.

"Even when I'm fat and on hormonal rollercoaster?"

"Yeah." He grinned. "Even then." He stood up and looked earnestly into her eyes. "I promise: in a few years, we will hold a big weeding, with altars, flowers- whatever you wish. You and I, together with our child- we will make it work. That I promise."

There may have been tears in Kushina's green eyes when she kissed him but he couldn't be sure.

"Well, I guess I have to review those notes from my Clan on how to give birth and not to unleash a malevolent mass of chakra in a form of an angry fox… What a pain…

* * *

'_Land of Earth is really not my kind of place.' _thought Jiraiya sourly.

The glass of whiskey seemed to agree with him.

It took him a month to finally reach his destination. Crossing the mountains in winter was foolish and crazy at best but then again Jiraiya wasn't known as one of the Sannin for taking an easy way. It had a wonderful side-effect of slipping in as one of the illegal immigrants rather than a ninja on a job (as the road was long and dangerous- no ninja in their right mind would choose such unprofitable way). It was just a pity he couldn't use one of his frogs to infiltrate but first and foremost he needed information. And what better manner of gathering intelligence than sitting with his fellow companions beside the fire on a cold night listening to rumors and stories?

Unfortunately, that was all he had: a shitty rumor. And moving from one town to the other proved to be as fruitless as a chance that Tsunade would go on a date with him.

'_They could at least make the ladies here be more accommodating.' _thought Jiraiya bitterly as he watched a woman taking care of one gentleman. The lap dance was nice and all but the lack of wallet could really put a man in a bad mood. Though, of course, the woman's current victim was happy enough. For now. The Sannin sighed, reaching for his nearly empty glass.

"Rough day, eh?" said a barkeeper, wiping a glass which Jiraiya was sure was being cleaned for the previous hour.

Bar. The best place when you want to collect a significant amount of data. This one, with its wooden floors and tables mixed with stone walls and stairs resembled in every bit a textbook example of a proper intel-gathering place. Its run-down interior and exterior gave off the "We don't care who you are, as long as you pay us" vibe. Perfect.

Too bad, that so far he had absolutely no luck.

"Life sucks." he answered curtly. The bartender, apparently used to his customers having existential crisis, said nothing, only put down the glass he was cleaning and filled it with whiskey. Jiraiya looked thankfully at the man, pushed the glass towards himself but didn't drink it.

"You know, I've come here looking for adventure and all I got was blisters on my feet. Where is justice in that?" Jiraiya whined pitifully.

The bartender shrugged. "No justice, sir. But if you forgive my impertinence, is the adventure you're looking for, gold?"

Sannin perked up at that. "And why would you think that?" The barman put his hands up in defense. "Forgive my nosiness, my good sir. I meant no disrespect. But a mighty lot of people come here to search for gold in abandoned mines. Though I've no idea why. Everybody knows it's just a rumor." He frowned at human stupidity.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You don't say? What did you mine, then?"

"Iron ore." The barkeeper answered promptly. "Some said they found gems too but I've never seen them. If you want gold, you should try your luck in our country's casinos. They are north-east from here, five hours ride."

The shinobi frowned but before he could ask him anything further, he heard the man curse softly and say "Them again."

Jiraiya looked from the corner of his eye and nearly fell off his stool.

Six men just walked in. They chose a table in a corner and Jiraiya watched as a busty waitress took their order. When one of the man said something to her, she giggled flirtatiously and sauntered of. All of them laughed. They appeared to be just drinking buddies, having a good time.

But Jiraiya's trained eyes picked up the fakeness of their movements, the forced way of their laughs. He also noticed insignia on headbands of three men.

Insignia of Iwagakure.

However, it wasn't what drew the Sannin's attention. He couldn't be sure on first glance, but when the strangers shed their traveling cloaks, he had no doubt.

Three companions of the Iwa ninja were no other than members of the Uchiha Clan.

They didn't wear their clan's mark nor their headbands but Jiraiya had a good memory when it came to faces. He probably wouldn't be able to name them on spot but there was no mistake. The question was: what were they doing here?

It could be a mission- it would certainly explain the lack of Konoha's marks. Asking them outright would be useless- if it really was a mission, he'd jeopardize it.

Though it'd really be a freaky coincidence that when he was looking for any Uchiha activity outside the village, there would be a mission that needed three Uchiha to complete.

And, Jiraiya eyed the Iwagakure shinobi critically, it'd have to be a joint mission because he'd never seen anyone laugh so unconvincingly before. Minato certainly wasn't stupid enough to allow joint missions so soon after the war and if he knew the old man Onoki at all, neither was he.

Sannin's eyes narrowed. Good thing he came here in full disguise. Fake mustache really did wonders.

"I see you don't like them too, eh?" he heard the barkeeper say. Jiraiya turned to the man. "Those ninja, I mean." He clarified. Shinobi shrugged. "I've had a run-in with some of them." he said calmly. "Pretty arrogant, their kind, right?"

The man behind the bar nodded earnestly. "Right you are, sir. They come here, acting as if they own the town, then leaving us with the mess. Trouble, the lot of them." He may have even spit on the floor but calmed himself in time and just muttered obscenities under his breath.

'_Jackpot.' _

"And their companions? Any trouble with them?"

"Oh no, sir. The dark haired gentlemen are always polite." said bartender, casually taking a hold of another glass. "Always leaving a pretty penny for a tip." He added matter-of-factly.

'_Yeah, to make sure you kept your mouth shut, right?' _Jiraiya snorted inwardly.

'_Well, it's not like I have any problem with that.' _thought the Sannin as a golden coin appeared in his fingers. He started flipping it around.

"It seems you are well informed, my friend. Would you mind…" he put the coin on tabletop. "…telling me a little about their business here?"

With a speed that would make many ninja impressed, the coin disappeared in barkeeper's pocket.

"Well, I don't see why not. After all," the man grinned. "You can pick up such fantastic rumors on the streets. Who could say which one is true?"

"My thought exactly." Jiraiya grinned back.

Oh yes. Land of Earth was definitely his kind of place.

* * *

**_A/N: _**Hi everyone! Missed me? *ducks* Yeah, sorry about the wait but don't worry. I really like where the story is going and it won't be long before final chapter!

Anyway, I'd really like to know what Kishi smokes before writing a chapter. But then again: more reason for lulzy moments, I guess.

Review&Enjoy


	14. Faith

_Disclaimer: I own nothing_

_Warnings: No beta. _

_All translations of Japanese can be found in Author's Notes_

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: Faith

Itachi liked books.

No, that wasn't accurate.

He absolutely loved them.

He had several books in his room: its genre ranged from ninja textbooks to light adventure and crime. So it was great worry for him when one fine morning he found that he'd read all of them already.

Yes, even those about human pregnancy. In all honestly, after reading them, he fervently wished he hadn't.

Thankfully, nothing was impossible for Uchiha Itachi. Especially when there was a grand library in his house.

Without thinking much, he sneaked in (not really, but it sounded cooler that way) and faced a wall whose every inch was taken by shelves. And on those shelves were books, of course.

So Itachi found a shelf which was labeled "A" and started reading. He was already on letter "F" when his father finally caught him. It must have been quite a sight- a four-year-old with his nose buried in a volume that was bigger than him. His father's reaction was a surprising one: he looked at him proudly and recommended several new positions that he thought Itachi would like.

Itachi did.

Most of the books he had been reading for the previous days were ninja textbooks. They were interesting but Itachi was quickly bored by them. Not because they weren't informative (au contraire, actually), however there was nothing there that he couldn't come up with himself. Soon he started craving more. And his father obliged.

Unfortunately, Uchiha Fugaku, who was notorious for getting his ear chewed off by his wife for reading at the table during meals (of course the term "chewed off" wasn't the most accurate one as it resembled more a war than anything- with Fugaku going as far as putting his wife under genjutsu) had to resort to more or less unofficial ways for supporting his son's love for reading.

So on one of these days when Itachi didn't have training he let slip a location of Uchiha's Main Library.

Itachi waited a full hour before making his move.

Secrecy wasn't all for show, after all. He shuddered remembering his mother's expression when she caught him reading way after his curfew. She'd immediately forbidden him from doing such atrocious deeds and no amount of kicked-puppy eyes could convince her otherwise. She'd even confiscated his book ("_Ninjutsu- Volume I_"), not caring that Itachi'd been in the middle of a chapter "_Healing Arts- First Aid_"! How cruel of her! She hadn't even let him finish!

The main library was located at the far end of Uchiha district. It was a large building with ivy climbing on walls, but looked surprisingly well-kept. Above its mahogany doors was a sign: "_Bibliotheca_", Uchiha family crests on both sides of it. It comprised two floors: on the first one there were four rooms, segregated by their content, each appropriately marked; on the second though, there was only a long hall. After entering the building, there was a corridor that headed to a circular atrium- in the middle of it were curved stairs that led to the second floor. Furthermore, around antechamber's beige walls at regular intervals were four doors and behind them-a specific chamber. And so the first room was labeled: "_Literature_", second: "_Science_", third: "_Law_" and fourth: "_Ninja Arts_". All of the them were spacious, but, understandably, the "_Ninja Arts_" section was bigger than the other three. A worn red carpet covered the floor and bookshelves formed several rows. In all the rooms, books were arranged by categories, then in alphabetical order. There was no chairs to sit on, so usually people just sat on the floor or went to the above level.

Second floor was essentially a reading-room, however it wasn't used only for that. It was also a place where old newspapers and mission files which were deemed academically relevant were stored. In comparison to the level below, this room wasn't as high and not as wide but had many more places to sit on. Sofas were pushed against walls and the rest of the space was taken by desks and chairs. But the stairs didn't end there.

On the roof of the library was a garden. Surprisingly, the plants that grew there and the perpetual humidity didn't have any effect on library's walls or its content. There weren't many flowers as to not attract insects, but such plants as _hosta_, several types of pine tree and all of the _aki no nanakusa_ were present. In between the foliage, decorative alcoves and benches were laid out, making this place perfect for relaxation.

For Itachi, library was heaven. It wasn't so surprising that upon seeing the amount of books within his reach, he stopped and gawked at them for few minutes. Then, narrowly preventing a collision with some seven-year-old boy who apparently liked books as much as he did considering the amount he was carrying, he began looking.

After several hours, he emerged victorious and headed towards his home.

It was definitely past his curfew and he was still reading.

Well, Itachi didn't read books. He _devoured_ them.

He brought some with him, but there were two he found particularly interesting. The one he was currently reading was titled "_Summoning Jutsu- Volume VII: Aves_". He would have taken the other volumes as well, however he couldn't carry them all by himself, so he chose one of them. "_Aves_" looked the most used so he decided to read this one first since he obviously was lucky it had even been there. He'd also taken the first book titled: "_Hand Seals_"- it was thin so it had been easy to carry.

The second book was quite a mystery and Itachi couldn't believe his luck. A very thick and a very old book wasn't normally found in your average library and this one looked like it belonged in a museum. He'd found it in a section named "_History_" but on one of its far shelves, in the back of the room. It'd been pushed in between "_Ninja and Civilian Fairytales- Differences In Interpretation_" and "_Plumbing in History_", covered in dust, its spine nearly falling off.

It was simply titled "_Clan's History_".

Itachi was sure that no librarian in their right mind would have let him take it but fortunately, being the only son of the Uchiha Clan Head had its privileges. Though the librarian barely glanced at the title but that may have been because he'd put a light genjutsu on her. Well, more a suggestion really- just your typical: "you don't care that a four-year-old wants to take a book which should be held in sterile environment in a bullet-and-dustproof case".

Itachi wasn't above playing dirty if it gave him what he wanted.

He wasn't an expert but the book had to be over hundred years old. Four loops served as hinges and a cover was made of wood. Pages were made of parchment instead of paper and letters were written by hand, not by machine. It had no official author (just like the book about summoning, weirdly enough) but whoever they were (had been, more likely) they had elegant handwriting though it was hard to read because they put their _kana_ very closely to each other as if afraid they would run out of parchment. But when Itachi skimmed through, he came to a conclusion the book couldn't have only one author as the handwriting changed the further he went. He also noticed several pages were torn out and some were barely intelligible due to stains of various liquids.

Itachi was dying to read it but decided to leave it for later (per saying: save the best for last). Meanwhile he'd put it in a metal box and hidden it under his bed. Just in case.

He didn't mind. His lecture about summons proved to be interesting and instructive. It not only explained a purpose behind every summon (in this case: birds) but also gave a detailed description about each of them together with photographs and diagrams. He reached letter "H" and it began with:

"_Hawk-_

_Class: Aves_

_Order: Accipitriformes_

_The term __hawk__ is often applied to other birds in the family Accipitridae and sometimes is extended to include certain members of the family Falconidae. Occasionally it destroys poultry and smaller birds, but usually it eats small mammals, reptiles, and insects. Hawks have many foraging techniques, but the most typical in their pursuit of prey is raking, or swiftly following the animal's efforts to escape. Possessing the keenest vision of all birds, they can spot a mouse in the grass from a mile high. Once the hawk has secured the prey with its powerful talons, the bird dismembers it with its sharply pointed, strong beak._

_Most species nest in trees, but some, such as the marsh hawk, nest on the ground in grassy places, and others nest on cliffs. They lay from three to six brown-spotted eggs._

_As a ruthless bird of prey, the hawk is the embodiment of focus and concentration. It is a living demonstration of the power attained by overcoming distractions. Moreover, the hawk is the symbol of tenacity in the pursuit of an object of desire or the accomplishment of a mission. The hawk is also an emblem of fidelity, for with few exceptions, the hawk has one mate for life._

_The so-called true hawks—members of the genus __Accipite__ —are exemplified by the sharp-shinned hawk (__A. striatus__), a bird with a 12-inch body length, gray above with fine rusty barring below, found through…"_

And so on. After reading so much of the book, Itachi wasn't surprised Uchiha Izuna could recognize and describe his crow ('_Jungle crow'_, his mind supplied) so easily. He'd probably read it too.

He shivered. Nights had been cold lately, even though it was already March. Itachi moved to the window. Boy's eyes landed on a crow's nest in nearest tree and he smiled fondly. The bird was soundly asleep- it definitely didn't resemble the usual hyperactive animal. With one last look, Itachi closed the window.

Suddenly, he felt a shiver run up his spine and he jumped to the side, just in time to avoid a kunai thrown his way. He turned around; he noticed a person standing in his doorway- a tall man by the look of things. Thanks to cloudless sky and full moon, the attacker was clearly visible, but Itachi couldn't see his face- it was hidden under a mask with strange markings on it. But he didn't have time for distractions.

He grabbed the kunai the man had thrown and tried to smash the window open but from the corner of his eye he noticed the attacker had already reached for his shuriken and knew he would not have enough time. He quickly flipped backwards and found himself at the center of his room, which wasn't the best course of action, he thought wryly. He turned again and blocked a downward slice that would have skewered him open. He looked deeply into attacker's black eyes and realized with mild surprise he wasn't scared. As if he always fought off people in the middle of the night.

But he realized something else, too. Since he came back from Grass, he felt someone watching him. This man could very well be that someone. Itachi almost felt relieved- he was getting tired of that game.

His opponent, sensing his slight distraction, moved to cut him but Itachi reacted just in time. Kunai sliced open his sleeve but didn't touch the skin. Young Uchiha crouched, relocated some chakra to his right foot and kicked at the hand holding the weapon. Kunai flew upward and embedded itself in the ceiling. Itachi sliced at the man's masked face, but the stranger was quicker and punched him, causing him to drop his kunai. The boy stood his ground and retaliated but knew he was at disadvantage. He may have been slighter and quicker but the man was stronger. Furthermore, the stranger wasn't at all slow, which destroyed all his chances at getting away.

Also-

'_He's playing with me.' _

It wasn't good. Not good at all.

He had to bet on his Sharingan.

He had managed to use it consciously once during his training with father (his trip to the library was a reward for it)- it seemed he now had to use it to save his life.

Itachi blocked a right hook and purposely opened his left side. He wasn't disappointed- the man tried to kick him but Itachi danced away. While the attacker was regaining his balance, Itachi moved behind the man and understood he had only one chance at this. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes, concentrating on them. He thought he heard someone tapping urgently at his window but couldn't be sure.

He knew he had succeeded a second before he opened his eyes. Adrenaline rushed through his blood, giving him strength. He saw the man move as if in slow-motion, Sharingan giving him an insight on his opponent's next move. He maneuvered himself accordingly and looked into black eyes. He could practically feel _tomoe_ spinning. He swiftly impaired the man's sense of balance and his victim fell over on his back. Itachi didn't wait for him to recover. He jumped toward the ceiling, pushing chakra to his hands and feet, causing him to stick to the surface as if glued. He grabbed the kunai and dropped right on the man's stomach. The person jerked as he landed but everything must have been happening too fast for him as he didn't even protect his body.

Itachi drew back his arm, about to aim at the man's neck…

_Kill him, kill him, kill him, killhimkillhimkillhim, KILL HIM!_

…and stopped his hand inches away from attacker's throat…

…just before he heard someone clapping.

Surprised, Itachi looked up in the direction of the noise.

Leaning on a doorframe, stood Uchiha Izuna. He smiled at boy's reaction to his presence and said, satisfaction evident in his voice:

"That was flawless, Itachi. But maybe you should let your father go, first. I don't think his current position is a comfortable one."

'_My… father?' _he thought numbly.

He glanced down just in time to witness his attacker remove his mask to reveal Uchiha Fugaku.

A _smiling_ Uchiha Fugaku.

His father's expression was probably the happiest one he'd ever seen. He was looking at him with curiosity and awe. But it was pride in his father's eyes that made Itachi avert his gaze. He felt as if this pride was a tangible being, reaching to smother, swallow him whole. Or maybe chain him?

He wasn't sure what he was feeling at the moment. He couldn't be sure of anything.

His eyes focused on the kunai he still held at his father's throat. He mechanically pulled it away and climbed off. He stood rigidly at the center of the room- unbeknownst to him- partially in shadow. He didn't dare look into Uchiha Izuna's fathomless black orbs- even without looking into them, he felt he was being tested. Still tested.

Izuna chuckled as he watched the Clan Head get up.

"See, Fugaku-kun? I've told you he was ready."

Itachi's father inclined his head respectfully. "And you were right, Izuna-san. As always."

The strange man laughed out loud at this. "Certainly not always, Fugaku-kun. But when it comes to judgment of character…" he smirked. "Well, I'm _usually_ right."

Fugaku nodded and turned to his son.

"You're no longer under any obligation to continue your training with me. Now, you only train for yourself. I'll be expecting great things from you." He bowed his head slightly. "Make your Clan proud." And with last parting look at the other man, Fugaku left the room.

They were alone, now.

Izuna smiled at Itachi but the boy didn't return it. His face was still expressionless and cold.

"I must say, your Sharingan control far exceeded my expectations. While I was sure you'd use it successfully, I didn't foresee you'd be so advanced. I'm impressed."

Itachi's voice was devoid of emotion when he answered.

"Thank you, sir."

The older Uchiha came closer to the younger and looked deeply into his eyes.

"Neither of your parents was so powerful at your age. Both of them are formidable shinobi to be sure but you… You will be far greater than any of them, that's for certain. I believe your father is right to let you train on your own. He could teach you much more, of course, but perhaps it is wiser to give you some independence. Though," he rubbed his chin in thought. "it's quite a pity he refused to show you our Clan's fire techniques. But maybe it's best to wait till you're older? Perhaps Fugaku-kun knows you better than-"

"You were the one watching me." Itachi interrupted. He said it without anger or surprise but with confidence. Strangely, he felt absolutely nothing: no satisfaction, no irritation.

Izuna's answer was prompt and without any shame in it:

"Yes."

Maybe Itachi should have been surprised but in reality he felt only weary.

"Don't do this ever again." He didn't mean to make it sound like a threat but he had to say it. Looking into those dark eyes, he felt so much older than he really was. There was nothing but the two of them; no Clan, no parents, no bedroom, no insistent tapping at the window.

The man bowed his head and answered softly: "As you wish." It was impossible to tell if he was being mocking or sincere. He turned to leave but he spotted Itachi's open book. With a slight cry of delight he picked it up.

"My, my, it sure brings back memories! And it's volume seven, too. It was always my favorite!"

Itachi breathed out, slightly more at ease than before. "You've read it too, then?"

"On the contrary." Izuna shook his head. "I wrote it. Not only this volume, but the whole series. Best three years of my life."

Itachi narrowed his eyes, surprised. It surely explained why this man didn't use a proper honorific when addressing his father, but for him to actually write this book…

'_He must be older than-'_

"I am older than I look, I'm afraid." He put the book down and winked at Itachi. "Research can take you farther down a rabbit hole than you can imagine. Mine certainly did. It's fascinating how our character determines which summon is best suited for us. Or our blood." he smirked. "Uchiha seem to have an affinity for bird summons, though not all. Your mother, for example, has a mammal summoning. A cheetah, I believe. And your father," he pointed at the book. "an eagle."

'_Eagle-_

_Class: Aves_

_Order: Falconiformes/ Accipitriformes_

_Family: Accipitridae_

_Eagles differ from many other birds of prey mainly by their larger size, more powerful build, and heavier head and beak… _

…_They also have extremely keen eyesight which enables them to spot potential prey from a very long distance. This keen eyesight is primarily contributed by their extremely large pupils which ensure minima diffraction of the incoming light… _

…_Eagles build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched. The dominant chick tends to be the female, as they are bigger than the male. The parents take no action to stop the killing… _

…_symbolizing light and power, with fire and water as its elements. It was the symbol of spiritual power and courage, fearless in thunder and lightning, but when shown in imagery with the snake, it symbolized conflict… _

…_symbol of leaders, warriors, and emperors…'_

"I've taken enough of your time. Goodnight."

He was passing by the window when his hand shot out, faster than Itachi's eye could follow, and unfastened the latch that kept it shut. Jungle crow's wing passed inches away from his left eye, but he didn't even flinch. The crow landed on Itachi's arm and fixed its dark gaze on the adult.

Izuna didn't even look back. But he stopped once he reached the doorway and said without turning:

"In ancient times, hawk was also a symbol of death. Write it in, would you? I must have forgotten to put it there…" He left.

Once he was sure he was alone, Itachi fell on his knees.

'_What's this madness? What's happening to me?' _He nearly killed his own father and everybody was acting like it was an occasion to celebrate! What was going on? He realized that Uchiha Fugaku couldn't be defeated just like that- the reason Itachi was able to gain upper hand was because he had let him- but didn't it matter than he held a kunai to his own father's throat? Did no one care?

'_I can't do this… Or can I? They want me to be strong, so maybe it's the only way… The Clan's way… My way?'_

_But…_

A soft cawing made him focus. The crow was rubbing its head against his cheek, like a cat would. Itachi smiled slightly.

"Thank you. I know you wanted to help me." The bird just looked into his eyes and cawed mournfully. Itachi delicately rubbed its neck. "You need a name… I'm not good at them but… What do you think about "Sora"?" The crow seemed to nod its head. "Then Sora it is. I guess I'm going to need as much help as I can get." He tried to sound brave but his lower lip quivered and he had to bit it to keep himself from crying.

'_Minato-san, please… Help me…'_

* * *

Uchiha Mikoto never thought herself to be exceptionally talented or strong. Maybe to other Konoha shinobi she was regarded as powerful but here in Uchiha Clan she was lost amidst "exceptional".

She also never cared much about boys and dates. Well, not as much as other girls. And definitely not as much as her parents. Her mother and father owned a weapon shop in Uchiha district and while they didn't know that much about shinobi way, they were quite successful in instilling love for their Clan into their only daughter's heart. Mikoto didn't care about fame, rank or money- she lived only for her Clan.

The first time she met young Uchiha Fugaku was a day of sorrow and grief for him. She was just one of the many people who paid him condolences after his father's death.

The previous Clan Head, Uchiha Kagami, was only in his forties when he died. No one really knew how, but many suspected a suicide. And no one could blame him. He was captured by Kumogakure after he put his life on the line to insure his teammates successfully escaped a trap. He spent four months in captivity, tortured almost to a brink of insanity. Finally he was rescued by a team led by Sarutobi Hiruzen, who, even though he was Hokage at the time, apparently wanted to make certain his old friend was freed.

Mikoto was twelve at the time but still knew death would be more merciful.

Uchiha Kagami's right eye was gouged out while the other was burnt off. Later, it was said his right eye was supposed to be transplanted and used by one of the Kumo ninja. However, after operation, Clan Head's fully awakened Sharingan drained the man's chakra and he died in terrible pain.

Personally, Mikoto thought it was appropriate.

Kagami's left eye was burnt out of spite. Whether he spilled any information to the enemy, it remained unknown. He managed to stay alive for two weeks and then died. He left a decaying Clan in the hands of seventeen year old Fugaku. When she saw him first, she thought privately that this was a man with potential. She saw a man (boy, really) who stood alone before all of the Clan, back straight and head high. She saw a man who could endure anything.

Despite herself, she was impressed.

Through the next two years she spent working on her _nin_ skill and at fourteen finally became a chunnin. For all that time her parents tried with no luck marry her off to some good party but she fought them off. "I don't have time" was a frequent excuse. But after completing her first mission as a captain her parents decided to throw a huge party to celebrate and she couldn't say no.

When she seized an opportunity to get away (already four hours into the fun) and escaped to the garden, she met him again. He slipped away an hour after her and, out of politeness, approached her for some small talk.

They managed to talk through the whole night.

"Clan's future"- that was what got them together.

She was nineteen when Fugaku asked for her hand and twenty when they married. In both times she said only a simple "yes".

In both times she was surprised she truly meant it.

It was small things that kept them together. A fond smile when he thought she wasn't looking, a brush of fingers on his shoulders, her favorite flower on a pillow when she woke up alone, a fresh cup of tea on his desk after stressful day… They knew each other better than anyone.

When Fugaku was worried about something, he always forgot to bring one of his book to their meals.

Which he just did. Mikoto made sure they were alone and sat next to him.

"What worries you so?"

Fugaku closed his eyes and leaned slightly forward.

"Have you ever doubted me?"

Mikoto looked at him in surprise. The very notion was laughable to her but Fugaku had been strange lately.

"Do you mean as a husband or as a leader?" Corners of his mouth quirked up.

"As a husband- I know you haven't."

'_The leader part, then.' _Mikoto thought. "Even when you were seventeen, the thought never crossed my mind. Why are you asking?" She narrowed her eyes. "Did someone defy you?"

Fugaku shook his head. "Of course, not. It's just…" he looked earnestly into her eyes. "These are our children, Mikoto."

_Ah…_

"You agreed." She said somewhat rebelliously. "You agreed with the plan. You knew all the details. You knew the prize-"

"Of course, I knew- I made this plan." He answered angrily. He deflated a second later and glanced wearily at her. "But it doesn't make it any easier."

"No." Mikoto looked down. "No, I guess it doesn't."

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry." The woman eyed him in surprise. "I shouldn't have been so hasty, maybe we needed more time to rethink the plan-"

"Don't even start." Now she was the one angry. "I also approved it. I also knew every detail, and I still agreed. Don't you remember?" she took his hands in her own. "You jump, I jump; but when I think it unnecessary, I drag you from the edge. I'm not some clueless female." She smiled worryingly. "Have more faith in yourself. If you hesitate, who can we believe in?"

"I don't think it's a matter of faith." Fugaku folded his arms. "I… I grew too attached." He impatiently ran his hand through his hair. "I opened myself too much. I don't want to think what happens once the second is born. I wasn't prepared." He finished with a scowl.

Mikoto shook her head. "It's only natural. These _are_ your children. But let me ask you something: would you have changed your mind, if you knew you will this way?"

Fugaku took his time before answering.

"No." His voice was strong and sure. "No, I wouldn't have. It's the best plan we have. And I will not compromise it just because of my feelings toward Itachi. Toward any of them." He corrected, looking at Mikoto's round belly. He put his hand on it and leaned in his wife's direction to kiss her bare shoulder.

Mikoto giggled and said:

"Don't worry, it will be alright. They are our children, after all."

* * *

**_A/N: _**Well, that's a surprise! A chapter earlier than a year? Madness. Thank you all for such positive reviews (I missed you, too *sniff*). And in such numbers. MOAR!

Ahem, yes, translations:

1. Hosta- a very common plant in Japan. Its flower bud and leaf look like ornamental cap used in temples and so it's also called_ giboshi_,

2. Aki no nanasuka- literally "Seven plants of Autumn", they are: _hagi_ (bush clover), _susuki_ (Japanese pampas grass), _kuzu_ (arrowroot), _nadeshiko_ (pinks), _ominaeshi_ (damsel flower), _fujibakama_ (there's no English equivalent) and _kikyou_ (ballon flower). For specifics: please visit google,

3. Sora- means both "sky" and "space" in Japanese but has different lettering. The most generic name ever-_-; Well, I did warn you I suck at names,

4. Kana- syllabic Japanese scripts, covers _man'yogana_, _hiragana_ and _katakana_, as opposed to_ kanji_ which has Chinese characters.

5. The garden on top of the library- it's a reference to Main Library of University of Warsaw, which has a beautiful garden on the roof. If you ever go to Warsaw, check it out. The library itself is quite a sight so I promise it's worth it.

6. Fugaku and Mikoto's summons- I took some liberty here, but I thought it sounded cooler this way. An eagle as Fugaku's was explained but a cheetah for Mikoto? Well, I wanted her to have a different summon than a cannonical "birds=Uchiha" (seriously, what's up with that?). I was really close to giving her a crocodile (no joke) but I settled for a cheetah. Why? I've found an African legend about a cheetah and because I'm lazy I copy-pasted it below:

_African legend recounts how the tawny cheetah got the black markings known as 'tear stains', which appear to stream from its eyes. Believing that her cubs had been stolen by an unscrupulous hunter, the mother cheetah abandoned her kill to search for them. Meanwhile, the hunter stole her hard-earned kill. So long did the cheetah sob that tears made channels through the fur. Justice prevailed in the end, and the cubs were returned and the hunter punished._

7. Uchiha Kagami- yes, it's the guy from Danzou's flashback. Again, it's a stretch but, hey, the previous Clan Head was never named, so there. He's proper age (let's say he was slightly older than Hiruzen in that flashback)_, _he looks like... ekhm... he's Uchiha, it's all that matters (they all look alike anyway).

And how is it happening that whever I have a long descriptive chapter, I naturally place Izuna there? Tsk, tsk.

I'm not going to lie, chapter 15 is a difficult one, so the next update won't be so quick, but I'll try my best. I'd have loved to just skip to chapter 16 but there are some things I need to address so it's neccessary. I can only say the first half's taking place on the same day as Mikoto's and Fugaku's conversation.

Enjoy&Review!_  
_


	15. Preconceptions

_Disclaimer: No ownage._

_Warnings: No beta. You know what to do. Oh, I've taken some liberty with Rin's fate. Hope you don't mind.  
_

_My reaction to Itachi's action in the newest manga? Trolololololololol*at infinitum*_

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: Preconceptions

Spring in Fire Country technically started at the end of February, however it was in March when occurrences typical to this season really began. It was a month of heavy rain, thunderstorms (which weren't that common to Konoha- its climate was too mild for that- but to the rest of the country- especially its continental regions? Now, that was a sight.) and high winds. Most of the trees and shrubs blossomed in March, which made the village of cold-blooded shinobi more pleasing to the eye.

Spring. Season of rebirth, renewal and regrowth.

Kakashi hated it.

Even the rain alone would have rendered the whole thing unbearable. Just try wearing a goddamn mask- the downpour made the cloth wet causing the rough material to grate his skin which in turn produced angry welts on his nose and cheeks. And that was not even covering the deadweight the soggy material became nor the lovely metal headband slung over half of his face. These days he really came close to just choosing an eyepatch instead. Much more practical. It still made him look like a gay pirate though…

Unfortunately, it wasn't only the rain. Now, storms were pretty cool. Lightening was always awesome no matter where you watch it.

Too bad that Kakashi as hypotensive suffered constant headaches courtesy of air pressure being a mood-swinging bitch.

It wasn't the worst of it. Not by long shot.

Imagine yourself wearing a mask over your mouth and nose. Imagine yourself walking casually in a Village Hidden in the Leaves during a full plant-blossoming season.

Imagine yourself being allergic to said plants.

Yeah.

Strangely, Kakashi couldn't for the life of him remember ever having it this bad. He might have had some minor running nose or something but that was easily forgettable and brushed off. Now, he got not only a bloody godawful sneeze and cough but his tear ducts could easily be mistaken for a wild river. After a heavy rain. A week worth of heavy rain.

Actually, it all started in the same year when Obito-

'_No, don't think about it, it's all in the past now, forget, forget…'_

Kakashi sighed, then looked sulkily around the room he was sitting in. It was a cozy little café, placed opposite of Hokage Tower. It wasn't famous for its homely accommodations though, but rather for its ability to make palatable coffee 24/7 which was a lifesaver for poor employees cooped up all day in the Tower. Kakashi often came here before giving his mission reports- one seriously needed something to keep alive while waiting in those freakishly long lines.

Now, he was fidgeting self-consciously next to Sarutobi Asuma (who fared no better than him by the way) under a watchful eye of Mitarashi Anko. Well, you don't exactly have time to ask questions when someone like her appears on your doorstep, takes a hold of your collar and sprints away. She was worse than Gai, honestly.

Kakashi frowned. It was absolutely ridiculous- both Asuma and he were considerably stronger than Anko so why did they let her do this to them? Kakashi's hands clenched slightly when the girl glanced at him from across the table with a wide and carefree smile which somehow made her look like a very hungry lizard. It seemed she picked something more than jutsu from her teacher.

Finally, seeing that no party involved was willing to talk, Kakashi sighed and asked:

"What do you want, Anko?"

The aforementioned girl had the cheek to actually look offended.

"What? Do I have to have a reason to invite you guys for a cup of coffee? Really, Kakashi, you wound me!"

"Cut the act." came Asuma's swift answer. His temper seemed to be even shorter than before but that may have been because he was in the middle of his fifth attempt at quitting smoking. He played with a toothpick in his mouth, obviously itching for a cigarette. Kakashi admired his stubbornness and dedication. "You never invite anyone for anything non-alcoholic and you hate coffee. Obviously, you want something, so get it over with." Anko pouted at him.

"Well, shit, a girl just wants to keep this friendship alive-" she pointedly ignored disbelieving snorts from two boys across her. "-and all she gets is distrust? But, anyway…" she wiped that fake smile away from her face which was a relief to Kakashi as it was starting to creep him out. "The thing is, what I'm about to tell you, must not leave our trio. Is that clear?" And without waiting for their responses, she continued: "So, you already know about Yondaime's try at removing the ANBU squads from Danzou's control and placing them directly under the Hokage's, right?" Unfortunately, all she received was twin blank stares. She gaped at them.

"What? Hey, don't tell me you didn't know!"

"Fine, we won't." Kakashi spat out. Honestly, he was slightly offended. He wasn't called a genius for nothing and he was already a jounin with aspirations to become part of the ANBU. He was privy to information Anko could only dream of and she knew such big news before him? What had the world come to.

Asuma started playing with his spoon which was a sure sign he was getting pissed off at this conversation. At this rate, Kakashi wouldn't be far behind him.

"Anko, the fact that neither of us have heard about this, should tip you off that this info isn't legit." He narrowed his eyes at her, when she let out an indignant cry at his statement. "Where have you heard this?"

"Asuma, you non-believer! My sources are perfectly legit! Let's see…" she tapped her finger on her lower lip. "I heard it from Kurenai, who was told by my mom, who overheard Tsume and Yoshino talking about it and _both of them_ were informed by Umino-sensei, who heard it from _Yugao_-"

"Alright, stop it. I get it." Asuma put his hands up in a sign of defeat. Kakashi marveled at women's information network. It was definitely useful. If only Rin-

_Blood. There was so much blood on her it was a wonder it came from such a small body. She was still clutching her medic kit even when the man she saved raised his sword and pierced her chest. He heard the sound of shattering bones and could only watch as the Iwa shinobi- a boy, no older than him- cried in madness and senseless rage, his blank eyes fixated only on her headband. _

_Kakashi screamed._

He shook his head, clearing his mind from unwanted memories. He ignored questioning stares from his companions and said:

"It's a bold move. But does it have any chance of success with Homura and Koharu being in the council and all? Because the fact that Danzou will vote against goes without saying. Personally, I don't think so and I doubt Minato-sensei would do something like this so early."

"Hm. I don't know about that." said Asuma thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "Yondaime may be young but he has something none of the old geezers have- popularity. The thing with popularity is though, that it can swiftly change against you, so you should make use of it as soon as possible. Yeah, sure, you can say it's too early, that he should spend some time drawing the two coots to his side, but I don't think it'd have done any good. They're old and crafty- it's unlikely they're going to be impressed with anything he does."

"Then, why do you think it's a good idea to even try it?"

"As I said, he's popular- not only amongst civilians but ninja community too. He's renowned across the Great Ninja Countries and the Feudal Lord likes famous people."

"Well, he's more popular than Danzou, at least." said Anko with a scowl. It wasn't like she hated Yondaime but with her teacher being Orochimaru it was a wonder she and Kakashi were still on speaking terms. She was really passionate about him.

"Exactly. They both know that if it came to making a decision by the Feudal Lord, it's obvious he's going to side with the Hokage. And I doubt they fancy having the whole village against them on this matter- I'm pretty sure the news that they over-voted him would reach the village pretty quickly." He took a long sip of his coffee as if closing the discussion.

Kakashi didn't argue with him. Asuma was much better versed in terms of politics than him. After all, he was a son of the Third Hokage.

"Alright, so we already established that Anko's info _may_ be legit." He turned to the girl. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Anko straightened her back. "I was thinking, if Yondaime wants to take control of the ANBU, he should nominate someone as the Head of the Squad, right? I mean," she leaned slightly forward, her eyes unblinkingly fixed on two boys. "he won't take command himself, right? It's too much work. He should give direct control to someone with an authority and presence. Someone more… experienced in those things, don't you think?" she smirked at Kakashi, but he didn't raise to her jab at his teacher's age. Instead he asked:

"Someone like Orochimaru, right _Anko-chan_?"

"Perhaps." she sneered. Asuma took his toothpick in two fingers like one would a cigarette and glared at her.

"You know, he must be getting desperate if he's using you to worm his way into Yondaime's favor. Did his balls drop off after Sandaime rejected his Hokage nomination, or what?"

"He's not using me!" Anko screamed. Both boys recoiled at her loud voice with identical looks of "Oh, shit!". She took a deep breath and continued more quietly: "Orochimaru-sensei hasn't sent me to do anything. He just seemed… down lately."

Both men shuddered. A perspective of "down" Orochimaru was a scary one, indeed.

Anko looked at them with a kicked puppy eyes so fake they had to wonder if she was really a ninja. "I just wanted to cheer him up a little."

'_If your idea of cheering him up is to give him a position of power, then yeah, where could it go wrong?' _thought Kakashi sarcastically.

"Why didn't you share your brilliant idea with Yondaime? Don't worry he, unlike _certain other_ teachers, has impeccable manners- he'd listen and turn you down gently."

"Haha, very funny, Kakashi." Anko grumbled. "You seriously suck at politics and subtlety, don't you? Well, that's to be expected from a shinobi whose signature technique is named _Thousand Chirping Birds_."

"And what jutsu do you have, _gennin-chan_? Snake-jutsu One, Snake-jutsu Two?"

"Hey, I'm taking the Chunnin Exam this year, you ass! And it's not my fault that during this stupid war, all exams were put on hold!"

"Excuses, excuses. If your idea of a good plan to cheer up Orochimaru consisted of two random ninja swaying Hokage into giving him ANBU under command, I'd say you're going to fail that Exam spectacularly."

"Say what you want, but the fact remains that you became, due to your connection with Yondaime, a useful link to Konoha's social elite. And Asuma," she looked at the other boy, but he promptly ignored her, watching the area of Hokage Tower out of the window. "you are a son of the Third Hokage, I'm sure you could at least talk to your father about it, right?"

Asuma grunted, still not taking his eyes off the view outside. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. It wasn't a secret that young Sarutobi and Sandaime didn't exactly get along- anyone who mentioned their relationship was dealt with a fierce death glare at minimum. Now though, Asuma barely made a noise of acknowledgement, absorbed with whatever he saw behind the glass.

Kakashi asked him: "What's so interesting? Some blonde beauty just walked past or what?"

"Well," said Asuma slowly. "I think there's a four-year-old boy trying to get inside the Tower."

Anko choked on her own saliva and Kakashi could practically hear her comment on Asuma's taste in bed partners and sex life. He instead asked a much more pressing question.

"A spy?" he questioned mildly, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I don't think so." answered Asuma a little unbelievingly. "He seems too embarrassed. It may be an act, but-"

"Alright, let's find out!" exclaimed Anko. She got up and ran out from the café. Both boys exchanged identical disbelieving looks, when they saw the girl approach the child. They couldn't see his face but were able to imagine the deer-caught-in-the-headlights look on it. Asuma let out a long-suffering sigh.

"We're going to follow her, aren't we?"

Kakashi nodded solemnly.

But once they approached the pair, before Anko announced the boy's name with a smile, before the kid turned to face them, the realization of who was standing before him hit him like a punch in the gut.

Obito's eye (after all this time, he still couldn't call it his own) throbbed painfully.

"_I am Uchiha Obito of the Uchiha Clan! I will surpass you, once I awaken my Sharingan!"_

"_Let's go, captain!"_

"_I'm… the only one… who didn't give you a present…"_

"_What? Don't worry… It's not some… useless baggage…"_

"_I can become your eye…"_

He stood absolutely rigid, staring uncomprehendingly into black eyes. He didn't need Anko telling him who it was.

An Uchiha.

He felt Asuma's worried glance on him but ignored it. Before he could stop himself, he glared at the child. He had similar eyes to those that haunted his nightmares. It wasn't fair, it wasn't! He saw an Uchiha only once after Obito's death, when he had an obligation as a team captain to inform the family about his demise. Never again, he had promised himself. Never again.

The boy really had strange eyes. Kakashi blinked.

No, those weren't Obito's eyes. Obito's were lighter; dark grey, with light in them. It'd be an insult to say they were dull, but rather they took the world as it came, they didn't criticize and only judged when it was truly important.

The dark eyes before him were nothing like that. Their color was richest black, almost to the point of sucking the light out. They were opened wide, absorbing every detail and taking it apart. He could feel tremendous power behind them, power that Obito could have only dreamt of.

Those were the eyes of a genius.

Those were Kakashi's eyes.

He snapped back to the present, when Asuma introduced himself with a laid-back "Yo!". Kakashi secretly envied the ease Sarutobi behaved with around other people.

"Hatake Kakashi." he said softly. He waited for the usual response the members of the Uchiha Clan gave him when they saw him. Even before Obito's death, he wasn't exactly a welcome guest in that part of the village as the Uchiha believed he had humiliated and overshadowed their kinsman on purpose; after, it became a full blown hatred and resentment. Though Obito's parents- proud and fundamental people- said they didn't blame him, Kakashi could see the harsh truth in their eyes.

"_We wish it'd been you instead."_

Kakashi knew he deserved it.

The boy's eyes narrowed slightly but almost immediately lit up with realization. Hatake prepared himself for inevitable dislike that'd surely blossom in child's eyes, however it never came. The only feeling he could read in them was curiosity. The way the boy looked at him was similar to how civilians sometimes did: as if they'd only heard a name and nothing more.

The kid bowed respectfully before them. "Uchiha Itachi."

Asuma's toothpick dropped from his suddenly slack lips while Kakashi didn't give any outward signs of surprise. But he had to wonder, why the heir to the Uchiha Clan was trying to get inside the Hokage Tower. And that was barring the fact he was still a four-year-old.

As usual, Anko didn't see any problem in that.

"Listen guys, Itachi here wanted to talk to the Yondaime, so I was thinking," Anko's smile turned feral. "why don't you take him upstairs and show him the way. I'm sure that for someone with your position Kakashi, there wouldn't be a problem, right?"

Kakashi had to admit, the girl was willing to do anything to prove her point. What did she think he was going to do: just take the kid and waltz into Hokage's room?

He had a sarcastic reply all prepared to be served when he caught Itachi's hopeful expression. He literally had to bite his tongue to keep himself from talking. He felt slightly ashamed- Uchiha was just a kid after all, there was no reason for him to get so worked up over such a little thing. Unfortunately, what he was going to say next, would be a disappointment to the boy.

He ignored a wildly grinning Anko, and addressed Itachi:

"I'm sorry, but Yondaime is not here."

Even though he was prepared for it, Uchiha's crestfallen expression still made him ache for the boy. While Anko was screaming obscenities at him for hiding that fact from her, he continued, hoping to cheer the child up.

"He left about a month ago on diplomatic mission through the ninja countries, you see. And amidst that, he still has an obligation to attend a Kage Summit to discuss spheres of influence and the state of our world after the Great War. The last time I heard, he was in Amegakure. But don't worry." Kakashi smiled reassuringly. "He should be back in a few weeks. If you want, I can pass him a message from you."

A second later, it occurred to him it was a wrong thing to say.

Itachi's eyes became emotionless as if some invisible doors suddenly closed. There was no emotion on his face. None at all.

"Thank you, but I wished to talk with Min- Hokage-sama myself. I… was sent by my father to give Yondaime-sama a message from him… In those circumstances, it'd better to wait for his return." At this point, even Anko looked at the boy with worry. Neither of them missed the slight slip when Itachi almost mentioned Yondaime's name. It was news to Kakashi that his teacher and the Uchiha Clan's heir knew each other.

'_Wait… There were rumors that sensei brought back a kid from his last mission to Grass… It wasn't that unusual, war orphans were often taken to the village if they showed promise as shinobi… But what if…'_

No, it was completely ridiculous. It was the sole heir of the Uchiha Clan he was talking about- not some random child… Who in their right mind-?

"_Father!"_

Kakashi shook his head. No, he had been older than Itachi when he'd first witnessed what shinobi life really meant. Not much older but still…

Before he could think about it any further, the boy bowed once again and quietly said his goodbyes. "Thank you for your help."

Anko was the first to react. "Hey, don't mention it! Feel free to ask us once again anytime!" She ruffled his hair playfully. Kakashi's sharp eyes detected an almost imperceptible flinch at the action despite of a small smile on his lips.

Asuma watched the retreating figure pensively. Kakashi asked him what he was thinking about.

"Nothing. It's just…" He scratched his head. "Don't you think he was a little… scrawny for his age? And a little too old, if you know what I mean?"

"Yeah." said Anko slowly. "He seems like a nice kid, though. I wonder what he wanted to talk about with Yondaime…" They were quiet for a while.

"Maybe we should have… y'know… escort him home or something?" Anko bit her lip in worry.

"He appeared capable of moving on his own, Anko." Kakashi pointed out. "I wouldn't worry about that. When I was his age, I was sent on various errands even outside the village and I was fine."

"Well, yeah, but you're a genius." Asuma raised an eyebrow. "Your childhood was far from normal, idiot."

"Then trust me in my ability of spotting other geniuses, non-believer." Kakashi shot back with a smile. Anko looked torn between laughing and reprimanding Hatake for copying her own words.

"He should be just fine…"

* * *

For Itachi, words like "fate" and "coincidence" were just letters in a dictionary. They were abstract concepts that Itachi admitted he was too young to understand. Obviously, he knew their definitions but wasn't sure which one to believe.

'_Where "coincidences" stop and "fate" begins, I wonder?'_

"_He'll become Hokage soon; he won't be able to always be there for you."_

"_It's yourself you should care about, Itachi. You and our clan. Because only we can understand you."_

"_I'm sorry, but Yondaime is not here."_

Back then, Itachi refused to show how much it hurt him to hear these words. But what did he expect? He was warned that this may happen and he was still foolish enough to believe…

Itachi stopped.

'_No. that's not how it is. Minato-san has his duties and I… have my own.' _he thought sadly. It was high time he stopped fooling himself. Minato-san, for all his kindness, couldn't be in so many places at once. He couldn't cater to everybody's whim.

Itachi bit his lip and started walking. He had his own family and it was time to accept that this was the place he belonged to. And as much as it pained him to admit, Minato-san was an outsider…

_Yes. You should accept it, Itachi. He's not like you. You have your own path, your own destiny. You could be greater than any other shinobi, greater than Namikaze Minato. He'll only slow you down…_

The boy's eyes widened. Was it really like this? But he didn't care about such things, did he? Destiny? Path? He didn't have such ambitions!

Did he?

Itachi rubbed his forehead as he felt a headache forming. He shivered from the sudden cold and uneasiness. Maybe he was over-thinking this. And did it really matter?

'_It's ridiculous. Minato-san is going to return. It's not like I'm going anywhere. It's a test for my patience, now!' _he smiled slightly. Well, he was anxious to show Minato-san how he matured over his absence. It would certainly make him happy to know how well Itachi was adjusting- he was used to seeing the weaker side of him- now it was time to show him his strength!

He practically bounced across the street and jumped straight into a puddle with a splash.

_So… You chose "coincidences"? _

Itachi frowned but answered:

'_I guess I did.'_

But that strange feeling which so suddenly gripped him, didn't go away. He couldn't help but think he was missing something important. Was it really only about "fate" and "coincidence"?

What if neither answer was a correct one?

He finally entered his house. He was about to announce his parents to his presence when he heard a soft melody coming from the guest room. Curious, as stealthily as he managed, he crept in that direction. What he saw, nearly took his breath away.

His mother was sitting on the couch, alone. She was wearing her everyday clothes: a simple dress and an apron.

She was playing a flute.

Itachi never knew his mother could do that.

The music was soft, soothing- it reminded him of a river, the one with slow steam, delicately whispering when you lay on its bank. It reminded him of a sun during summer and wild flowers in full bloom.

He always thought his mother was beautiful, but perhaps it was the first time he truly _saw_ it. Her eyes were closed as she played, her body slightly swaying with the rhythm. He might have not noticed this before, but her pregnancy was now obvious. And maybe that was what made him stop and look at her. She just seemed so peaceful… But at the same time she looked almost… ethereal. It made him feel like an intruder.

The melody ended and his mother smiled at him. She beckoned him to come closer.

"What is it, Itachi-kun?"

The spell was broken just as she said his name with a suffix. Itachi relaxed; he was on familiar turf.

"I didn't know you could play, _haha-ue_."

"Oh, this?" she held out the instrument. "Your father taught me how to use it. It calms me and the baby." She smiled brightly.

It was the first time they were so close; at this proximity, her pregnancy was even more pronounced. Itachi wanted to ask her if she also played the flute when she was pregnant with him. But instead he said:

"Where's _chichi-ue_?"

"At Police HQ. There was a new case that- Oh!" she put her hand on her stomach in surprise. "The baby is kicking! Come, give me your hand." She proffered her hand for him to take.

Itachi wished to touch her. He truly did. He wanted to feel the new life that was growing inside her- his younger sibling. How the baby moved, kicked… His whole being wanted nothing more but just touch his mother's belly and _belong_.

But he didn't. He didn't meet Mikoto's eyes when he murmured an excuse. He didn't want her to realize that he couldn't bear to touch _her_. The very thought of being this close to her brought chills to his spine. He wasn't sure how he would react.

It came to him suddenly that he still didn't trust her. He thought that perhaps… with time he could trust both of them… But with the previous night's incident… and before that… His immediate reaction told him more than he wished.

He turned away and went upstairs to his room. Guilt was eating at him. He didn't want her to think he was rejecting the baby or that he wasn't happy because of it. Well, he was a little nervous but also very excited at the prospect of being big brother. Itachi took a deep breath. He told himself he'd explain to Mikoto that he didn't mean to be rude to her or the baby.

'_Hopefully, it'll smooth things out.'_ He opened the door to his room.

And froze.

The floor was strewn with black feathers. They were spread all over the place: some even on his bedside desk and bookshelves. The window was open and his hangings torn. He quickly closed the door and inspected them. He felt weak to his knees.

There was drying blood on them.

The sudden gust of wind made the feathers scatter again. Itachi covered his face when they moved in his direction. Some of them touched his cheeks and hands- he shuddered, feeling blood run down them. It was familiar. _Too_ familiar.

His head snapped up when he heard a soft cawing coming from under the bed. His heart nearly burst from relief.

'_Sora!'_

His relief was short-lived. Upon seeing the state the bird was in after it stumbled from under the bed, Itachi's hand flew to his mouth to stifle a cry.

Sora's right wing seemed to be broken. On its beak were numerous bloody spots and an once full healthy tail was missing many feathers. The corpus bore several still fresh wounds. When Itachi moved closer, he came to a conclusion that they had to be done by some other bird: they were, without a doubt, pecking marks. Itachi swallowed.

"Sora, what happened to you?" He, of course, didn't expect an answer. He really wished Sora could be one of the Summoning Animals so it could at least talk back.

But it wasn't. Sora was just a normal crow, one of the many in Konoha.

The bird cawed pitifully. It tried to hide its broken wing but didn't have much success. Itachi could see it wasn't able to even stand anymore. He had to do something!

He moved to shout for his mother's help but the sound never left his throat. He became frustrated with himself. What was wrong with him? He may not have trusted her but she would surely know what to do!

_But you do know._

Itachi blinked. He had read a little about Healing Arts in _"Ninjutsu- Volume I"_ his mother had confiscated but those were basics! He'd never done it before! He hadn't even read the whole chapter!

Well, the paragraph about healing wounds was one of the first one he'd read but… He'd read how to differentiate between broken, dislocated and cracked bones with chakra but…

Did he have the ability to do this?

_Try and see._

Itachi took a deep breath and turned with serious eyes to the crow.

"Sora, do you trust me?"

The bird understood and slowly showed him his right wing.

Young Uchiha held out his hands. "First, I'll check if it's really broken, alright? It won't hurt, don't worry." The book said it was imperative to explain to the patient what do you have to do and what can he expect of it.

The fact that his patient was a bird didn't deter Itachi at all.

He positioned his hands above the crow's wing and concentrated.

"_The Healing Arts are mainly based on the intentions of the user. To successfully complete a healing process, it is required for the healer to keep his focus and intention on physical action of mending a damaged tissue._

_However, it is not a correct procedure when performing a chakra-based diagnosis. In this case, the proper reaction and intention should be "to diagnose" and not "to heal". It should be kept in mind that chakra is used as substitute for X-rays, photons and ultrasound waves and it is imperative to use it accordingly._

_The foundation of this technique is the difference in absorption of chakra between each tissue. The tissue that absorbs the most is the so called "soft tissue" which includes tendons, ligaments, muscles, nerves, blood vessel, fat, skin, fascia, fibrous tissues and synovial membranes. As the absorption factor for such elements like fat and skin is the highest, they will not be detected in the aforementioned process. The differentiation between tendons, ligaments and muscles on pure chakra is impossible and the healer is required to be familiar with anatomy of the patient._

_Blood vessels can be identified by running chakra through its core. If the flow of chakra is not disturbed, it is a blood vessel. If the user detects resistance, it is a nerve. Osseous tissue has the lowest absorption factor and is the easiest to diagnose._

_If the flow of chakra is focused and doesn't leak anywhere it means…"_

"… the tissue is not damaged." said Itachi aloud. There was a soft green glow embracing the wing. Uchiha took a deep breath and ran some of his chakra through it, feeling the bone. He smiled.

"It's only cracked." He took his hands away. "I can't do much for you but it'd be better if you didn't try flying for a few weeks." The crow looked at him with reproach, as if it had already known it wasn't that serious of a injury. Itachi swallowed, looking now at the bloody wounds. He took a piece of gauze that he, since his return from Grass, kept in his bedside chest and inspected the lacerations. Satisfied that none of the injuries was deep enough to endanger internal organs, Itachi once again positioned his hands above the crow's body.

'_Heal, that's all. Concentrate only on that.' _thought Itachi as he saw the tissue mending. He didn't allow himself to become distracted. Only when the last of Sora's wounds closed, young Uchiha collapsed, exhausted mentally and physically, on the floor. The jungle crow cawed at him and pecked him lightly in alarm. It was needless, Itachi was only tired. He wasn't used to such intensive and long chakra usage, after all.

The box in which he hid the book about Uchiha Clan's history mocked him from under his bed.

Fate or coincidence?

'_Fate or coincidence?'_

_Neither._

* * *

The south-eastern terrains of the Earth Country were the only region where percentage of trees exceeded the one of the rock. It was also a pool of two main rivers that ran down from nearby mountains. It resulted in a scenery unseen in other parts of otherwise mountain-only country. It should have come as no surprise that this was the most popular place for civilian settlements- rich soil, milder climate and nearness of the water were preferable to harsh mountain environment. Luckily for them, Iwagakure favored their enclosed, nearly unreachable for normal humans terrain and didn't interfere in country's affairs.

Which made this region a perfect place to station an enemy base.

Especially if said base was in the middle of a thick forest.

Jiraiya scowled.

'_The things I do for that Hokage-brat…'_

He was dressed in simple farmer clothes with a strawhat obscuring his face from view. His once white hair was dyed brown and he had to wipe all sage marking from under his eyes. He attached a bushy mustache to his face and a beard. He had to admit, it could be one of his better disguises yet.

The Sannin's scowl became even more pronounced when he pulled his foot out of another muddy puddle. It was getting annoying, he thought. He pushed a cart full of canned food and water harder. It was not how he envisioned his plan…

When he had talked with the crafty bartender, the strategy how to catch Uchiha red-handed had been fairly obvious. It just so happened that barkeeper's nephew often delivered them food- how incredibly lucky of him.

And so easily Jiraiya found himself possessing a roughly accurate position of Uchiha's base. Well, not really a base- the kid had said it was more a factory. He'd decided to impersonate the boy's uncle and to "deliver them provisions" in his place. The kid hadn't had any objections.

If the lovely road, where the lesser of two devils was a swarm of hungry mosquitoes, was any indication, the boy's choice to stay behind was a smart one.

Of course, Jiraiya as a shinobi, and not a bad one at that, could technically use his awesome ninja powers and avoid this whole mess. Unfortunately, to be able to successfully infiltrate the Uchiha base he had to be as authentically harmless as possible. That also meant no Transformation Techniques and no chakra enhancements. The boy's uncle after all, didn't use chakra. And he could bet his left nut the Uchiha did their research well enough to be familiar with the kid's past girlfriends too, not to mention his family. Jiraiya spat on the ground and pulled out a very worn piece of paper. It was a map of the forest, drawn by "his nephew". In all seriousness, it was just a rough sketch of the area where an "X" marked his destination. It had "a crooked tree", "a second bog on the right", "146th abandoned mine" as checkpoints, for goodness' sake! Jiraiya squinted. If he read this poor excuse of a map correctly, the Uchiha's whatever was supposed to be…

"…here." he finished flummoxed, when he noticed various sealing tags on the forest floor. Well, what do you know, the brat was right, after all. There was no mistake; judging by the layout and the familiar seals, it could only mean a Konoha shinobi was there. A Konoha shinobi who erected a barrier around this particular area.

Jiraiya sighed. He could easily slip in unnoticed- such a simple barrier was a piece of cake- but where would the fun be in that? And with that thought, the Sannin stepped deliberately into the restricted area.

Immediately, he came face to face with a kunai. He gave a false cry of alarm and stepped back, only to stumble into his cart. Cursing, he looked up.

Before him stood two Uchiha- of course, neither of them gave any indication of their origin (there were no marks and their eyes remained black). They wore simple black clothing and their faces (save for their eyes) were covered. One of them asked:

"What are you doing here?"

Jiraiya groaned. "Geez, Hikaru told me you're all a bunch of ungrateful brats but seriously?" he pointed at the canned food and water. "I've brought these for you. My nephew couldn't make it today."

They narrowed their eyes- it was somewhat disquieting to be looked down on with twin identical expressions. "And you are?"

"Akira, the brat's uncle."

"Weren't you in Lightening Country?"

"Waterfall." Jiraiya muttered. Come _on_, they could have given him some credit! Who could fall for such obvious trap? He was almost insulted.

"Ah, right. Waterfall." The one who was still pointing the kunai at him (Jiraiya was just going to call him "Mook A") said with no change of inflection in his voice. He put his weapon back to his holster. The other guy ("Mook B") nodded at Jiraiya. "Alright, let's go."

They led him down the surprisingly well-kept road to something that looked like a canteen. But what really caught Jiraiya's attention was a building opposite of that: a long barrack with no front wall. He squinted a little: it resembled a smithy.

Mook A showed him the entrance. Just as he walked in, he felt both of them disappear.

'_Probably to patrol the border.' _Jiraiya thought. He caught snippets of conversations from the canteen.

"…a Senju, Uchiha and Hyuuga walk into a bar…"

"… I say, the higher ups don't expect us to stay here forever, right? The next shift…"

"… do you think is better? Cold forging or heat treatment?"

"…need to go inform Neko-baa that today's transport's going to be delayed…"

"…to restore ductility and durability, you have to temper the sword first, idiot!"

"Hem, hem," said a cool voice. The Sannin looked up. It was a woman who had spoken and Jiraiya cursed the genetic Uchiha prettiness. She had her hair pulled up into a bun and wore standard ninja garb with a fishnet shirt which made her womanly assets stand out all the more. She had to be around Jiraiya's age but it was evident she wasn't past her prime: her hair was still black and there were few wrinkles on her face.

The little Jiraiya-pervert danced from joy in the man's head. He somehow managed to keep his face cool and collected. The woman seemed unimpressed.

"Leave the cart here and follow me." she said curtly as she turned away.

'_You're on a mission, man. On a mission! You're fucking- no,no,no!- you're in a damn enemy territory! Some self-preservation attitude wouldn't go amiss!' _thought the Sannin desperately. It was all in vain- the little Jiraiya-shinobi was too busy ogling the woman's behind to listen to any advice.

She stopped two men in white cook-wear and pointed at the cart. They nodded but before they could go, the woman whispered something to them, that Jiraiya didn't hear. With no change in their facial expressions, they moved to unpack the food. The Sannin tensed slightly, when he noticed the kunoichi was leading him to what looked like her office. They entered the room- the door shut ominously.

The man decided to get his brain to work again. He held out his hand.

"Well, what about my payment?"

The woman raised an eyebrow. "I was thinking," she said, at the same time loosening her bun- long black hair flowed around her shoulders. "we could have a little fun, before we go to the payment part." She smiled coyly.

'_Oh, fuck yeah!' _screamed little Jiraiya-pervert as the little Jiraiya-shinobi was twitching, holding onto the last functioning brain cell.

Kunoichi stepped closer, her white hand reaching out to massage his shoulder. "Well? What do you say?" She leaned towards him. Their lips were inches apart.

'_Oh, yeah! Give me your all, baby!' _

'_No, remember the mission! It can be a trap!' _came a feeble voice of little Jiraiya-shinobi.

'_Huh? Women throw themselves at me, even though I'm in disguise?" _came a voice of little Jiraiya-egoist.

It was probably out of this indecision that the Sannin didn't close the distance between them. Just as they lips were to touch, the woman turned away and said:

"I'm sorry for this. I had to make sure you were who you said you were. I know you're gay and I apologize for inconvenience."

'_SAY WHAT?' _all little Jiraiyas roared. _'It was all fake? "Make sure who you are"? I'm GAY?'_

Jiraiya was going to kill that kid. He hadn't told anything about his uncle's sexual orientation! Well, okay, he hadn't _asked_ but still…

"I hope there's no hard feelings? I'll get your money right away, sir." kunoichi told him, rummaging through her desk. She looked really pretty with her hair down.

'_Boobies!' _moaned pitifully his pervert part, as Jiraiya got his brain in order. "Of course not! Don't worry about it. Happens all the time!"

In an instant, something slammed into his gut, winding him and this time he didn't fake his startled cry. He found himself on the floor with two strong thighs squeezing his neck. Any false move and he'll be kissing his life goodbye.

"Akira is a known womanizer around those parts. He ultimately had to leave the town for getting too familiar with the mayor's wife." She sneered as she leaned down to him. Her legs tensed around the man's neck. "Who are you and what do you want? Or would you prefer I killed you now?"

'_Best. Death. Ever.'_

Yes, Jiraiya was indeed in deep shit. It didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the view. Thankfully, his self-preservation instincts were slowly starting to kick in. Oh boy, he was certainly not getting out of it in one piece…

"It was one way of turning you down, sweety." Jiraiya smirked. Little Jiraiya-shinobi was beating his pervert counterpart with a hammer. "You're not my type. A little too much fat in those hips, don't you think?"

One minute later, Jiraiya breathed the fresh forest air as he nursed his bruised cheek, courtesy of kunoichi's knee.

'_The things I do for that Hokage-brat…'_

* * *

**A/N:** Guys, you've no idea how happy you make me with your reviews! All I can say is: MORE! FEED THE TROLL! *gets hit with a hammer* I mean: thank you so much *bows*. Special thanks go to **narutofan **and **bladz-liska **who reviewed every-freaking-chapter. You rock!

About Rin: in my mind, she died after she healed some war prisoner. The guy killed her as a thank you. Tough love. *nodnod*

About Healing Jutsu: I've no idea how they're supposed to work so I just took some our world technology (MRI and X-ray) and converted into Naruto world.

I'm sorry for the long wait but with my summer practice and vacation I actually wonder how it only took me two months-_-;

And to tease you a little: next chapter: A Hero Comes Back! *watches Naruto Shippuuden Opening 1*

Enjoy&Review!


	16. Groundwork

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, it's all in good fun, blablabla._

_Warnings: No beta, grammar and vocubaluray not checked, you know the thing. Also, big-ass long chapter (it's 26 pages, people!). That's what I've been making you wait for three months! And yay!continuity!_

_This time A/N will begin here: belated Merry Christmas everybody! Once again thank you for your awesome reviews, as always I'm waiting for more! I'm sorry for the long wait but I hope the chapter won't disappoint:)_

_About Uchiha names I used in this chapter: some are canon, some are made up. And so:_

_ "Isao"- means honor_

_"Ryo"- distant, reality, refreshing_

_"Keiko"- blessed, lucky, respectful  
_

_ Please, Read&Enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: Groundwork

Regardless of Kakashi's words, Namikaze Minato didn't return to the village in span of "few weeks". The schedule of Hokage's visits was a closely guarded secret but it didn't mean much when there were several gossiping ninjas involved. While a certain date was unknown, it hadn't taken long to figure out a rough time, before which Yondaime had to get back. After all, he was a public person, whose meetings had to be prepared in advance.

Uzumaki Kushina was probably the only one who didn't get carried away with this obsession about Hokage's return. But then again, she was also the only one in contact with him.

If not for her visits to him and her reports about Minato-san, Itachi would have gone crazy with worry. Kushina-san was kind enough to keep him updated for which Itachi was truly grateful.

She seemed to come by a lot lately, he noticed. She didn't explain why and he knew better than to probe her about it. He had a few ideas- nearly all of them involved Kakashi-san, one way or other. He had tried to explain that she didn't need to do this but she'd persisted. It's not like he didn't enjoy her company (quite the opposite) but…

'_She's been looking awfully tired, lately.'_

He had even asked her if she was sick but she'd laughed it off.

Furthermore, for some reason that Itachi couldn't comprehend, she and his mother developed… well, not really a _friendship_ but some kind of grudging respect for one another. It had a good side of them both actually having a civil conversation (Itachi had even heard them laughing!).

But he couldn't shake off this strange feeling that all of it was too good to be true. Not necessarily it was fake on purpose, but rather he feared he saw things which weren't really there. Nevertheless, he had to admit, it was more pleasing to watch them sip tea and gossip on latest fashion than be at each other throats.

March became April, then April rolled into May.

Sora finally recovered and pestered him every time he went out on his own. He actually couldn't fathom why. Since the time he'd told Izuna to stop spying on him, he was pretty certain no one was watching him anymore. It didn't mean he felt comfortable in Uchiha district but it'd be a lie to say someone was out there to get him. In all honesty, Itachi was more worried about Sora than anything. Their proximity actually worked in his favor because he could watch over the bird without it getting cranky at him. He supposed it was a strange thing to say about an animal displaying such human attitude but maybe Sora was just that special. But then again, crows were famous for their high intelligence and ability to mimic other creatures.

Itachi looked up and saw the crow circling above him. He smiled but his good humor vanished when his eyes landed on Hokage Tower. He was patient but he couldn't help feeling a little bit of irritation at the fact that Mianto-san was still absent. Wasn't the Hokage not only shinobi of the highest rank but also a _de facto_ ruler of the village? Was there someone acting in his stead or was this left for the council?

'_Well, I guess there's always Sandaime Hokage…' _Itachi mused.

"Hey, kiddo!"

Itachi started at the loud call. His eyes quickly landed on the person who just exited the building. It was Kushina-san. Itachi smiled at her and skipped closer. She was carrying a batch of some documents. The clash of red hair and orange pullover made his eyes itch but he didn't dare say anything. From her frequent visits he managed to gain an ability to skirt around temper-inducing topics.

"Good morning, Kushina-san. How are you?"

"Bored." was the woman's blunt answer. "Seriously, if I hear one more comment about Feudal Lord's cat, I'm going to kill myself. Ugh," she pulled her hair up into a hastily made bun, "I've no idea how Minato does it. I bet he just zones it all out."

Itachi looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean, Kushina-san?"

Kushina blinked and she said, not looking at him: "It's nothing, really… Just some paperwork I had to do after the mission, that's all." She fiddled with the folder's corner.

'_Wow. Kushina-san, you really suck at lying.'_

Uchiha let it slide. "Oh, I see. Um, maybe you'd like some coffee, then?" Kushina's eyes instantly turned mischievous.

"_Oh?_ What's this? Once my man is out of the town, you're putting some moves on me, _hm?_ Smooth, young man. Smooth."

"Eh?" Itachi blushed but it was mostly due to the fact he didn't understand a word of what Kushina had said. He absolutely hated not knowing what was going on. And it was just an innocent comment, too! "But I… I just meant-"

"Say no more." Kushina raised her hand to silence him. "When a charming man such as you, invites a young lady like me for a date, it'd be most insulting to decline such a fine offer." She ended her sentence with a wink. "Besides, I seriously need a conversation with someone whose IQ is above 90. Come on, this time, I'm paying."

Kushina-san pushed him into a small café next to Hokage Tower. Before he knew it, a cup of hot chocolate was placed in front of him and the woman was gulping down her coffee with a blissful expression on her face. That small moment of inattention allowed Itachi to glimpse at her haphazardly thrown folder. The documents he saw (or rather just headlines and few first sentences) resembled mission profiles. It caught his eye that all of them had different codenames which indicated these documents couldn't be about one mission but, in fact, several. Furthermore, they all were approved today! Which meant…

'_These are not files of her own mission. But, if she has all the data it could only mean she was the one who-'_

"How is your mom?"

Itachi somehow managed not to give himself away by snapping his head up before answering her question. That'd have been totally uncool.

"She sleeps a lot. Father thinks she's carrying a boy and he's tiring her out. Mother is sure it's a girl."

Kushina laughed. "Well, your mom's the one who's pregnant- she should be more accurate in those matters. So, when are you becoming a big brother?"

Itachi shrugged helplessly. "In July, I think? I still don't know how it's supposed to go… I mean, I know logically how the baby should come but it's still a little unbelievable! It has to push through the uterus and then-"

"Yeah, well, that's how it is, huh?" Kushina laughed nervously. Was it Itachi's imagination or was she slightly pale? "But I bet I know what will cheer you up, kiddo." She leaned conspiratorially in his direction. "Minato comes back."

Well, that definitely caught his attention. "W-when?" he whispered. Why was he whispering? Why was his heart beating so fast? Why were his hands shaking?

Kushina looked at him with a slight smirk. "Six days from now. Tomorrow it's going to be made official but… well, I thought you should know." She smiled. "Well, how is it? Excited yet?"

He didn't answer. He just threw his short arms around her neck and pulled her closer. To say she was surprised, would be an understatement. She frowned a little but embraced him. It didn't sit well with her that this boy could have such a strong emotional reaction to so simple news. She may have understood if Minato himself would have came out from behind a curtain but with this? It was just another assurance that he was going back, just this time there was a date attached. She didn't like it. It meant he was hungry for any strap of affection, even from a stranger who undoubtedly would disappoint him in a long run. As Hokage, Minato really couldn't afford taking care of a psychologically damaged kid- at least not how the boy probably saw it. And there was their child to think about.

Itachi was literally shaking in her arms. She hadn't even made any promises of reunion between the two of them and yet she could hear him babble about possible scenarios for their meeting. She pulled him back. Itachi's eyes were round with excitement and he was grinning so much it had to hurt him. Involuntarily, she felt herself melt at the sight.

'_Well, shit. Minato was the one who started this. Let him fix it.' _She teased: "Now, that was unexpected. Never knew a member of the Uchiha Clan could be so emotional!"

She wasn't sure if it was just now, that Itachi noticed what he had done, but after her words, the boy's face instantly closed off. There were splotches of red on his cheeks which could only be embarrassment but other than that, she couldn't read him at all. She mentally kicked herself.

'_Way to go, Kushina. Way to make a remark that could be taken as disapproval.'_

She actually felt relieved when they were suddenly engulfed in smoke. When it cleared, she recognized three young shinobi standing next to the table. "I was wondering when you were going to show up. Took you long enough." Out of corner of her eye she saw Itachi looking at the newcomers with mild curiosity. It seemed he hadn't even jumped at their sudden arrival.

A tall, black-haired chunnin in glasses coughed. "Kushina-sama, the Hokage Guard is a group of elite ninja, which objective is to protect the current Hokage and all his representatives-"

"Yes, yes, Aoba. Because Kushina-sama obviously knows nothing of our duties." another chunnin, this time with a scar across his face, hissed. "It's not like she, you know, has been working with us for weeks, or anything!"

"Maybe both of you should shut up." The third shinobi, with a senbon between his teeth, muttered. He looked thoroughly bored. "We're not alone." His senbon pointed at Itachi, who was still looking at them with expression of polite interest. Kushina stifled a laugh. "Anyway, Aoba, what are you doing here? You're not a part of the Guard, like Genma and Raidou."

Aoba pushed his glasses higher up his nose. "I've come to deliver this to you, Kushina-sama." There was a burst of smoke and in his hands appeared a ten-foot tower of paperwork. Genma hummed with approval. Kushina blanched.

"You've got to be shi- I mean-" she quickly looked at the four-year-old-" kidding me. There can't be that much!" While she and Aoba were arguing the improbabilities of paperwork, Raidou muttered to Genma: "When I took the job, I actually expected to, you know, guard something. Not be a designated babysitter." Genma nodded empathically. "Ah, yes. The naiveté of young…" Raidou looked at him with disgust but spared his friend a snarky reply. It seemed Kushina lost her battle with Aoba. She turned to the only possible ally she had. "Alright, here's the deal. You take my place and I give you… candy." She finished lamely. Itachi shook his head seriously. "I'm sorry, Kushina-san, but I don't know any transformation techniques." The woman waved him off. "Don't worry, I'll teach you. So, what do you think?" There was a strange glint in the boy's eyes as he smiled at her. Raidou interrupted them. "Kushina-sama, please be serious."

"Right, I forgot all about you!" she exclaimed. "Itachi, cast a genjutsu on them!" It wasn't her imagination. Itachi's eyes narrowed and pupils enlarged. He had that look… She didn't think anyone could look so calculating like him at the moment.

'_Maybe Minato. Sometimes. Very rarely…'_

She was interrupted by Genma who pulled her up with a long-suffering sigh. She immediately fell back into a righteously angry mode, which all three chunnin ignored. They didn't notice anything worrisome, but then again she hardly expected them to. When she turned back, Itachi was smiling at her, holding out her discarded documents. She returned his smile as she took them.

"Thank you for the chocolate, Kushina-san." He bowed his head slightly as a sign of respect but she ignored it. She just ruffled his hair. "Next time, you're paying, kiddo." Itachi nodded.

As she turned away, Kushina couldn't help a sarcastic thought:

'_A true prodigy, huh? As if we didn't have enough of them already.'_

* * *

The news about Hokage's return spread across the village like a wildfire. Regardless of such short notice, the villagers did their best at organizing a proper welcome. Soon the usually somber Konoha streets became full of colors and life. It definitely helped that it was a beginning of June. The smarter citizens made sure they were on sick leave for that time, which caused those unfortunate to curse their abysmal reflexes. The Academy student population went to such lengths to insure they had enough free time on that day that it resulted in lessons being outright cancelled. There was no way that anyone without good reason (like S-rank mission; death was relative) wouldn't have been there.

"No."

Itachi expected his father to be angry. He expected a long lecture about the clan and responsibility. He didn't expect a flat refusal combined with a look that spoke plainly about his father's thoughts on his son's mental state.

"But, _chichi-ue_, please… Reconsider…"

"No." this time it was a growl. Fugaku continued, not even looking at him: "You are not wasting your time on some foolish… _welcome-party_ especially when the person you welcome is undeserving of it."

Itachi reddened from sudden anger. How could he… How could his father _say_ that?

"_Undeserving?_" he managed to choke out. He was surprised at how quickly his feelings changed from annoyance to fury. _'He has no right… He has no right to say such things about Minato-san!'_

"Yes. Undeserving." Fugaku twisted the knife further. "You should owe him nothing. I hoped that with time you'd lose this strange fascination with that man but it seems I was mistaken." His lips curled in distaste. "I've told you already: he doesn't care and doesn't understand you. You don't need him. You definitely don't need distractions."

"Distractions?" he didn't notice that he raised his voice. When did his simple request turn into this? Were they even speaking the same language? "Minato-san is Hokage! We should respect him! How can you even deny him that, _father_? And he cares!" The last sentence he outright screamed into his father's suspiciously calm face. "He cares and I like him and I want to meet him, you can't-"

"Yes, I can." Fugaku didn't raise his voice but his tone was enough. Itachi shrank from him but didn't run away. His eyes dropped to the floor- he couldn't meet his father's eye. "Your… _fondness_ of that man-" _'Why, why are you calling him like this?' _"makes you lose focus of what's truly important. I'm not going to allow-"

"Fugaku, please." Mother. When did she even-? "He's too young to understand. Once he's older, he'll know." Mikoto said serenely.

Itachi snapped his head up. That fury which for a moment left him, came back with vengeance. In that very moment he felt he could hate her. Not because she hadn't backed him up, but because she dismissed him as if… As if he wasn't even there! Like he was some unruly child that didn't know what he was doing. At least his father acknowledged him, argued… He was worth at least that!

"FINE!" Thankfully, his anger chased away his fear and shame. He saw his parents' eyes widen but he didn't care. He was certain he activated his Sharingan but that was far on his mind, as was a smell of burnt polyester and wood. "I HA-!" he turned away, closing his eyes. As angry as he was, he couldn't say it. When he lifted his eyelids, his gaze landed immediately on his father. He didn't know why. Instinct? Self-preservation? They drew closer during the time they had trained together. Even after that night _'I still don't understand why, please chichi-ue…' _there was a bond between them, some sense of familiarity. Now, he was looking at an impassive face of Uchiha Fugaku and felt lost.

He couldn't read him at all.

Tears gathered in his eyes and Itachi knew he had to run. He went to his room and slammed the door shut. He furiously wiped the moisture away.

"Alright." He told himself quietly. "Alright."

He didn't care, he told himself firmly. So what they didn't even flinch at the thought that their own son hated them? He didn't care.

_Of course you care, little baby crow._

"Shut up." He snarled at the voice. _'I'm five tomorrow. I don't need them. I don't…' _Even in his thoughts, he sounded unsure. _'It doesn't matter. Not anymore.'_

He took deep breath and his hands formed specific signs.

"_Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

A clone appeared next to him. It was paler than him and wobbled dangerously but it was enough. He helped it get to bed and laid it down.

"Probably won't fool them, but… Well, whatever."

He jumped to the window. He swung himself to the tree outside and came face to face with Sora. "Stay here, alright? If they come in, well… find me, okay?" he smiled slightly at the crow's no-nonsense look. "At least I'll have a headstart." The crow cawed at him- Itachi took that as a "yes". He quietly slipped to the ground and ran in the direction of the village.

He didn't notice soot on his fingers.

* * *

Minato'd never thought being a Hokage could be so tiring. It wasn't like he didn't know what it meant training your ass off till you couldn't see straight. Maybe it was because the Third had made everything look so damn easy and effortless. Or maybe the guy had been roping people into helping him with his patent Helpless Old Man Card. Whatever the reason, Minato had to learn the hard way about Hokage's work. It wasn't only about his duties, though. He had to admit, he enjoyed playing those political mind games far more than he should really. It was kind of exhilarating when you acted the "I'm-only-pretending-I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about-even-though-I-really-don't-know" part. No, what made him want to perform lobotomy on himself was the goddamn awful ceremony that went with his title. He honestly felt better when there was a Kage Summit on schedule- at least he wasn't expected to give public speeches every other minute.

The Summit itself wasn't that big of a deal, but that may have been because Konoha was the undisputable victor of the war and that allowed him to dictate the terms. Also, he knew pretty much everyone in the room, which ,honestly, took all the surprise and excitement away. The Fourth Raikage, as expected, had been giving him those angry looks (so he didn't forget about their little skirmish, huh? Figured.) as if he'd wanted to use him as target practice. Easy to rally 'n' easy to play with- as Minato liked to think. He'd heard all about the Third Tsuchikage and as such his craftiness and experience had been swiftly neutralized. He was aware of his weak points and had known when to pay attention to him. But his role was minimalized as Iwagakure sustained enough damage to share it, resulting in its position to drop to the nearly bottom of the food chain. "Nearly" because the last place was occupied by Sunagakure and their new Kazekage, about whom Minato heard unbelievable stories (_'Creating gold? Yeah, right.'_). The young man had been forced to sit quietly and occasionally make a comment or two. Minato could vaguely remember him from his Chunnin Exam and was pretty sure that by nature he wasn't all that talkative anyway. The only refreshing anomaly had been the Third Mizukage- or rather the person he had brought with him. Namikaze had seen enough Jinchuuriki to know when one was staring him in the face. The boy (because seriously, he was _Kakashi's_ age!) had been introduced as a bodyguard but Minato hadn't been fooled. That kid was a successor to the title of the Mizukage. He had not spoken even once during their meetings (as bodyguards were not permitted to do so), however Minato had seen his eyes move back and forth, resting on each face and remembering.

Pity, really. After some time, even that had become boring as hell. He actually wished Sandaime hadn't told him about how back in _his_ days, Kage Summits had been conducted. Apparently, he and the Second Mizukage always had had a good laugh at everyone's expense.

'_Just my luck that I had to get saddled with such unfunny bunch. What was that, a generation curse, or what?'_

He didn't think he was capable of feeling so much relief when Konoha's giant gates finally came into view. He wasn't the only one. His guards considerably relaxed upon seeing the end of their journey. After all, they'd been away from home for months.

Minato hadn't taken all his ninja from the Hokage Guard with him. He'd decided to leave those younger and less experienced behind. Both Genma and Raidou, while good shinobi in their own right, were still too impulsive sometimes to fully trust them during diplomatic meetings where veiled insults were the norm.

Besides, he was certain they had done a great job with guarding (*cough*babysitting*cough*) Kushina, who had taken over part of his duties. There was one in particular he was glad she had managed to finalize during his absence.

To wrestle ANBU from Danzou's control and to place them under the rule of Hokage. Before he left he had already laid out the proper groundwork but it would have never worked if there had been no one to continue it. That was where Kushina came in. She knew him better than anyone and was the only one he could trust unconditionally.

It helped that thanks to her new position as a Hokage Representative she was unable to leave the village, which put Minato at ease. After all, she was with a child right now, and Namikaze was glad she wasn't forced to put herself and their child needlessly in danger. Of course, Kushina didn't have any inhibitions when it came to her duties as a shinobi and saw nothing wrong with sending pregnant women on S-rank missions. Thankfully, it was Minato with a position of power here, and he could successfully keep her away from anything above C-rank.

She wasn't happy about it but Minato hoped that being his representative placated her enough to allow him to sleep in their bed and not the couch.

But he had to cut his musings short when the massive door opened and they were greeted by enthusiastic villagers.

Minato, who was used to crowds of people wherever he went, was still baffled at the sheer numbers of waving shinobi and civilians. Because, as he moved through, he noticed they all stood together, spontaneously organizing themselves without anyone directing them. Normally, it was expected for those two groups to stand side by side and not mix like this.

Minato liked it better this way.

He walked surely to the platform where Homura, Koharu and most importantly Kushina stood. Danzou was absent but then again, Yondaime couldn't really blame him. Once he reached them, he felt his guards disappear and a second later appear in the crowd, protecting him from the distance. He shook hands with the two councilors and when he faced Kushina they hugged each other happily, but carefully to keep their relationship platonic to the observers.

"How are you?" he whispered more urgently than he wished.

"Fine. Now that you're here." she answered back. Her voice cracked slightly and Minato was glad he wasn't the only one getting too emotional here. All too soon he had to let her go but gave her a look that promised a lot more hugs in the immediate future.

He faced the crowd. "Well, I'm glad somebody still remembers me." People chuckled. Minato relaxed. He was finally home, he didn't have to act. As he started his speech, his gaze swept the crowd.

The first one he noticed was Kakashi, who was standing calmly next to Gai-kun, who was… doing… some… complicated… break-dance moves? He really didn't want to know. Next was the whole Hyuuga Clan, pale and serene as always. They remained a little to the side of the main crowd but were still there. He recognized Teuchi from Ichiraku Ramen with his daughter but he did a double take when he found Sarutobi. The old man was wearing a strawhat, black glasses, flower-patterned shirt that Minato had seen people wear on those volcanic islands and shorts. He looked like a movie star.

'_Lucky bastard.' _thought Minato when Hiruzen raised his glass filled with a definitely alcoholic drink (there was even a miniature umbrella attached, the fiend!) and toasted him. Namikaze could practically hear him muahaha-ing from this distance. One day, he was going to make that old coot pay.

He continued speaking without pause. It came in handy, having this ability to divide his attention without giving himself away. He made some interesting observations, too:

'_So, Asuma-kun started smoking again?'_

'_Orochimaru seems to be in a strangely good mood… Maybe I should check the obituaries…'_

'_Is that Umino-sensei's kid? He has balls, trying to prank Kakashi but I don't think it will… Oh. It worked. Someone has been neglectful of their training, I see.'_

'_What. The. Fuck.'_

His voice very nearly wavered but he managed to control it. He just thought he'd spotted Itachi sitting on the shoulders of a Inuzuka Clan member- oh, shit, he hadn't imagined that, had he?

There he was, the Heir to the Uchiha Clan, clearly sitting on the shoulders of, now that Minato took greater notice, Tsume's husband while the female Leader of the Inuzuka Clan had their five-year-old daughter in the exact same position. He had no idea how Itachi ended up like this but truthfully that was the last thing on his mind while he watched the madly waving child.

Itachi was once again alone. Minato stopped counting the moments where they met without his parents supervision. Furthermore, he could see how taunt and stiff he was, which meant he still didn't get over his initial fear of strangers. He was obviously doing better but that would be like saying Orochimaru was in a better mood than usual. And, he had no idea why, there were traces of soot on his face and fingers. What had he been doing before coming here?

When he corresponded with Kushina, she pointed to him that Itachi wanted to meet him for reason he hadn't explained. Whatever it was, they could address it now and resolve it. Itachi apparently waited months to talk to him. Minato didn't want to keep him waiting any longer.

Besides, the ceremony was going to get boring, sooner or later.

Praying that young Uchiha was every inch the genius Kushina had described, he looked the kid straight in the eye and said:

"-and let me tell you, you will not find a better place that serves ramen than our own Ichiraku-"

"Damn straight!" shouted Teuchi. The crowd seemed to agree.

Itachi blinked but his eyes lit with understanding and he nodded. When Minato turned from him, not once pausing in his speech, he saw from the corner of his eye how the boy talked quietly with the Inuzuka Clan Heads. With a well-practiced flourish he ended his speech (people apparently loved it if their wild clapping was any indication) and took his place next to Kushina as one of the councilors began to speak. Well, it was going to take a while…

He leaned slightly towards Kushina. "I need a distraction." He muttered.

She raised an eyebrow at him, then followed his line of sight. She caught a glimpse of a small black-haired boy, moving with moderate difficulty through the crowd.

She rolled her eyes. "A distraction? _Please_."

Minato grinned and prepared himself. When he heard Kushina yell ("Is that Iwagakure attacking us _again_?"), he disappeared from everyone's sight. He was sure he heard his guards curse nastily.

He didn't use _Hiraishin_. He needed seals to do that but even without it, he was still the fastest person in Konoha. It took him seconds to reach Ichiraku. Itachi wasn't there yet, but Minato didn't expect him to. Surprisingly, he didn't have to wait long. From the end of the street he saw the boy run to him, gasping harshly from exertion. Minato didn't wait for him to catch up. He moved soundlessly and once he reached the struggling child, he gave him only a soft warning of "Hold on tight.", before grasping him firmly and vanishing.

They moved a few streets ahead. The one Minato chose was a dark, not frequently used alley. They stopped and Namikaze put the young Uchiha down.

"I know it's not the best, but we'll be able to talk here freely for some time before my guards find me." His gaze swept quickly the dirty garbage containers and less than welcome-looking wooden crates. He scratched his head in embarrassment. "Sorry about that, it's just-"

He didn't finish- Itachi practically catapulted himself into his arms and held on for dear life. With slight surprise, Minato returned his hug and sat down on one of the crates. It worried him that Itachi wasn't saying anything- he just buried his head into the man's chest as if he couldn't get enough. It surprised him how easily he could offer the small child comfort when half a year ago he'd struggled to even talk to him. He whispered:

"You wanted to talk. Here I am, now."

Itachi drew back and stared at him with wide eyes. It seemed to occur to him that they had limited time. There was something… Something not quite right about the way he looked at him.

The boy moved his lips a few times but no sound left them. He knitted his eyebrows in annoyance before rubbing his temples with slight frustration.

"I… I meant… I'm just glad you're here, that's all." Itachi coughed harshly before dropping his gaze to his lap. Minato narrowed his eyes. His thumb wiped away soot from under the boy's left eye.

"Care to explain this?"

Itachi's face expressed nothing but surprise. His hands automatically raised to wipe away the remains but Minato caught them and turned them palm-up, showing black-colored fingers. Itachi's startled cry wasn't fake- he knew as much. But it still didn't explain, well, anything.

"Unless you've been playing in the fireplace for the past hour, I suggest you start from the beginning." Itachi gaped at him. "I don't know how it happened, honest! I didn't even notice! I wasn't…" Minato looked at him quizzically, then started inspecting his hands. There was no burns on them which indicated there was no fire involved. He could have been playing with matches but first: Itachi wasn't the type to do that, second: soot was spread too evenly on both hands for it to be natural. An idea popped into his head: Itachi was an Uchiha- they were renowned for their fire techniques. However, _Katon_ didn't come from the fingers but from the user's mouth. Maybe Itachi's natural fire chakra was seeking an escape and the only open channels it could find were on the boy's hands? It kind of made sense. If Itachi used any type of Ninja Arts, it was the ones that involved his hands. Obviously, these channels were already open. Which now begged the question, just what caused his chakra to build so violently to search for an escape?

"What made you so angry, hm?" Call it an educated guess but anger was one of the most popular reasons for losing control of one's chakra, especially in untrained shinobi.

Itachi's eyes snapped to meet his. They were impossibly wide. Every muscle on his petite face tensed, giving an impression of being made of wax. But then Itachi relaxed and bowed his head.

"I got into a fight… with haha-ue… And chichi-ue." He whispered the last two words. "It was about…" he began hesitantly before raising his head. He was biting his lower lip. Minato understood. "About me."

Itachi nodded. "I'm sorry." He said softly. "I just got so angry. I… I don't think they know I'm here. Not yet." He quickly corrected. "They…" he began but didn't finish his sentence. He instead looked down at his tightly clenched hands. Minato recognized the still-lingering anger in his eyes, as well as hesitation. He tried gently:

"But you've wanted to talk about something before, haven't you? When you met Kakashi. What was that about?"

Itachi's fingers turned white and he didn't raise his head. His reply was quiet and perhaps… a little sad.

"It wasn't important."

Minato waited for him to elaborate but apparently it was all Itachi wanted to say.

"'It wasn't important.'" he repeated. "I severely doubt that."

It was impossible to guess what Itachi was thinking. Finally, he looked into Minato's blue eyes and admitted:

"At that time, I thought It was. But now…" he shrugged. "Everything is fine. Nothing changed."

Minato wasn't sure the phrase "Nothing changed" put his mind at ease. He grasped the child by his wrists and pulled his hands away from his shirt. He could feel the kid's pulse under his fingers.

"You don't have to pretend. It's alright if you tell me the truth." He put emphasis on the last word. "There's no need to protect your parents-"

But Itachi was already shaking his head. "No." he said. "It's alright, I mean… They are alright. It's actually better than before…"

…Okay, he was lying exactly if his pulse was any indication. Either he really believed in what he was saying, or…

Or Minato had a little sociopath in his hands. Great.

There was a bit of silence as the adult and the child regarded themselves.

"If you're sure-"

"I'm sure." said Itachi quickly. His pulse slightly quickened.

'_And that's a lie.' _thought Minato with triumph. At least it made him feel better that he wasn't being paranoid for nothing.

"-then I won't press the issue. But you must promise me," he said sternly. "that you'll tell me everything, next time we meet."

Itachi bit his lip but ultimately nodded. "I promise."

Minato smiled, satisfied. "Good. Now, I understand that tomorrow is your birthday so I-" he suddenly groaned. "Of all the moments, they had to choose this one?" he asked rhetorically. There was no mistaking it. He could hear three shinobi approaching their hiding place. Talk about bad timing.

Itachi had heard them too, but to Yondaime's surprise, was rather calm about the whole deal. Actually, his eyes took a disturbing shine as he glanced at the alley's end. When he turned to face the Hokage, he practically glowed with eagerness and excitement.

"Minato-san, could you perhaps… leave it to me?" Again, there was something strange about him. There was this _unhinged_ look in his eyes. Slightly curious but also wary, Minato gestured for him to demonstrate. The boy eagerly got to his feet and moved to stand in the middle of the alley. He took a deep breath and formed a basic seal- Minato didn't need Byakugan to know he was gathering his chakra.

Next, Itachi straightened his arms and pointed them in the direction they could hear the shinobi approaching. He splayed his thin fingers looking every inch like a magician performing a trick.

Or a puppeteer.

They both didn't have to wait long. At the end of the street, Minato noticed three ninja gather, looking into the darkness of the alley. He could see Itachi's calm but concentrated features.

The whole ordeal lasted five seconds. It was all it took for three fully-trained shinobi to gaze at the contents of the street before taking off, as if there was no one there.

No, that wasn't accurate. For them, the street _was_ empty.

Itachi's grin was wide as he faced the Hokage. "What do you think, Minato-san?"

Well, what was he supposed to think? Hell, what was he supposed to _say_, when a four-year-old (okay, nearly five) just used genjutsu on three fully-trained ninja without even breaking a sweat?

'_This seems to be a norm around this kid.' _thought Minato bitterly. Of course, it wasn't the first time he witnessed Itachi using illusionary techniques but… Yes, what had he thought back then? That it had happened during war so the boy had been pressured by the circumstances to use them? That he wouldn't grow to have an affinity for a technique that had probably saved his life more than once?

So, maybe Minato was a little biased when it came to genjutsu. He came from an old school of ninja where he was taught that the least he could do for his targets, was to give them the courtesy of killing them with their own hands. And Minato just found the whole idea of tampering with a person's mind to be… _icky_, for the lack of better word.

'_How did he even teach himself that?' _Minato wondered. What, did Itachi just train on any unsuspecting person in ten feet radius? Was he even supervised during this? There was a reason why genjutsu could be only used by shinobi most skilled in chakra control.

And most importantly, Itachi couldn't just play with people's minds like that! Sure, now it was just a harmless illusion but Minato was able to imagine very well how a teenaged Itachi would deal when faced with normal adolescent problems- just genjutsu everybody around. Hell, that was not even touching a possibility of him becoming rogue.

Even if his skill was…

"Impressive." said Minato out loud. He immediately wanted to slap himself. That was not what he wanted to say! But he took one look at Itachi's impossibly elated face and he felt his heart melt at the sight. Well, it was no use crying about it- he'd already praised him. It was not like Minato himself had been such an angel during his youth. _'God, I feel old.' _

He motioned the boy closer.

"I have something for you. I don't know if we'll have a chance to meet tomorrow, so… Happy birthday." he pulled a small package. He pushed it into Itachi's hands. The boy was staring with shock at the present. Minato smiled encouragingly. "Well, what are you waiting for? Open it."

Itachi blushed. He raised his eyes hesitantly to meet Minato's own before dropping them to the package. He whispered a soft "thank you" before opening it with faintly trembling hands. He blinked at the contents and pulled them out.

"…A necklace?"

Minato decided that just for the baffled look on the child's face, it was worth the whole trouble he had with it. "Yes." He nodded, amused beyond belief. "Did you expect something else?"

Itachi's blush reached his ears. "N-no, of course not!"

"So you expected to get a necklace for your birthday?" Minato let him splutter for a minute before raising his hand in apology. "Look closely."

The necklace he gave him wasn't spectacular at first glance. Just three loops connected by a string. But then again, he made sure it didn't look valuable so that no one would even think of stealing it. Because together with the string, there was something woven in it…

"There's… something here." muttered Itachi as he inspected his gift. "It looks like a ninja tag!" he exclaimed, absorbed in the item. "Yes, there's a seal here, but I don't recognize it." said Itachi, looking askance at Minato. The adult smiled.

"You wouldn't be able to. It's a seal I personally created. This particular seal will allow us to meet again." Itachi's eyes grew large. "Well, kind of." Minato admitted. "Your necklace responds to your chakra and sends a signal to my kunai." He pulled out one of his hand-made kunai and showed it to the child. "As you can see, it has the same sealing tag on the hilt. When you need me, all you have to do is send your chakra through your necklace and I'll know."

Itachi frowned. "But Minato-san, what if you have to use your kunai? What if you mix it with your regular ones?"

Namikaze smiled. "Oh, don't worry, I won't mix it. Here, catch." He threw it to the boy and Itachi caught it with ease. His thin fingers gripped the weapon comfortably but a shadow passed the boy's face and was gone a second later. Minato wondered if he'd imagined it.

Itachi smiled. "It's poorly balanced."

Yondaime nodded. "Very good." He should have expected nothing less from a prodigy. He took the weapon back. "It's unlikely for me to use it in battle. At the same time, at first glance, it looks no different from my other kunai, so it's safe to use for other means." He winked. He laid his hand on Itachi's shoulder. "So don't worry. Whenever you need me, I'll be there."

He thought he saw tears in the child's eyes but he couldn't be sure. The child leapt into his arms and buried his face in the crook of his neck. Minato held him close. He didn't care what Kushina and Sandaime had said: so, he grew attached, big deal. Itachi was his responsibility, had been ever since he had found him in Grass. It was a little too late for him not to care.

"Alright, let's get you home. Your parents are probably worried about you."

"Yeah, about that…"

* * *

Itachi could barely remember his last birthday. It was not surprising, after all he had been only four (yes! He finally could say that!) and the event that followed it, the incident in Grass, dominated his memories, pushing more unimpressionable ones into nothingness. All he could remember were four candles on his birthday cake. Everything else was hidden behind the fog of his mind. Maybe he didn't forget them because of a small accident. When he had tried to blow them out, he'd nearly set the whole table on fire.

Itachi frowned, smoothing wrinkles on his formal kimono. Father had never looked at him the same since then.

He sighed, trying in vain to arrange his uncooperative clothing properly. He wondered if this birthday party he was preparing for, was his parents attempt at apology. He had to admit, he liked that thought. He liked to think that they did, in fact_, care_.

His hand brushed the necklace Minato-san had given him. He'd decided not to tell his parents about it- he wasn't sure how they would have reacted to the news. But that didn't stop him from wearing it today, at his own birthday party- he wasn't so stupid as to flaunt it around, though. He hid it under his _hadajuban._

Just in time. There was a knock to the door and his mother entered. She was already fully dressed in her own kimono. She _tsk-tsk'ed_ at his progress.

"I thought you already learnt how to fix it from the last New Year's."

Itachi scowled. "But you helped me all the way, then." To his surprise, she laughed- the sound merry and easy. He blinked. _'That was new.' _

His mother kneeled and reached for his clothes. "Then let me help you again, my scowling son." She smiled at him and Itachi found himself smiling back. It was a little disconcerting how they all acted like the previous day had never happened. Itachi wasn't about to correct her. He stood still, while his mother fixed his kimono. When she stepped back, he relaxed- as much as he could in his formal wear. He found to his surprise, this time he actually could maneuver himself more easily than previously.

His mother motioned him to the door.

"Come. Your guests are waiting."

When they went downstairs, Itachi had to gape at the sheer number of people in their living room. And if the open door to their garden was any indication, there was even more of them.

'_I can't do it.' _thought Itachi desperately. _'This is madness. I can't face them all.'_

He didn't even have the time to flinch when his mother pushed him toward his father.

Uchiha Fugaku waited for them at the bottom of the stairs, leaning lazily against the wall. He, like his son, was dressed in formal wear. It was weird, seeing him without his customary Chief of the Police Force attire. He glanced up as they neared him. Somehow, the light of the setting sun made him much more approachable.

"Everybody is already here." said Fugaku and Itachi recognized that his father didn't mean it as a rebuke at his tardiness but was merely stating a fact. The boy saw his parents exchange a look before his mother disappeared in the crowd. Fugaku turned to him. "Stay close to me and pay attention."

A few minutes later, he started to envy the ease with which his father navigated through the crowd. It would have been inaccurate to call the older Uchiha _graceful_- he wasn't built like the type of person one associated with the term- but Itachi couldn't really find another word for him. His father was a tall, imposing figure with stern features and muscular build. And yet, he nearly _danced_ through the crowd as if he was one with it. Itachi hoped it was just a thing he could gain with age.

He shook hands with another person (_'Uchiha Isao.' _his mind supplied). His father had told him to pay attention and he did but it was boring to be introduced to everyone present. He was sure why- everybody knew who he was already.

Unless, everybody had to be introduced to _him_.

He didn't know why he felt queasy at the thought.

Unlike other people he had met, Uchiha Isao actually took the time to exchange some small talk with him.

"I'm most honored to meet you, young Itachi." Well, as much as a small talk could be between two Uchihas. "Your growth exceeded all of our expectations. I'm sure you'll serve your Clan well in the future."

Itachi blinked but bowed back to him. "Thank you for your praise, Uchiha-san." It was so weird to address a member of his clan like this but Itachi hoped he showed him his respect properly.

Uchiha Isao nodded at him. "And polite, too. You and Mikoto are bringing him up well, Fugaku." Itachi mentally groaned. _'And here we go; once again talking about me as if I wasn't there.'_ The five-year-old knew they just couldn't resist. But the next words made him stiffen.

"-awakening Sharingan at his age, that's impressive. I wish my Keiko was like that."

"Thank you." replied Fugaku, placing his hand on Itachi's shoulder. For once, the boy was grateful for his father's firm hold as it kept him grounded. He didn't know… didn't realize his Sharingan was a known fact in the clan. He was certain that only his father and Uchiha Izuna knew about it. And now it seemed everybody knew!

He felt trapped even though he couldn't explain to himself why. So his parents probably bragged about their son's achievements- it was normal, right?

_Right?_

He barely heard the adults talking ("Speaking of which, where's your daughter?" "Home, unfortunately. She has mumps, I'm afraid." "Shame."), he was too far gone in his thoughts. Even when they moved away from Uchiha Isao, Itachi could barely register where they were going. He finally looked up when Fugaku addressed him directly.

"Itachi, do you understand why I'm making you do this?" he asked looking seriously at his child.

The boy in question shook his head. Fugaku sighed. "To prepare you for the day when you become the Head of our Clan. One day, you will lead these men," he glanced around the room, "and they will be expected to follow. You'll be the one responsible for Uchiha Clan's wellbeing." He kneeled. Itachi'd never noticed how tired his father looked. "You are my son and heir. I want to prepare you for this task. This-" Fugaku was gripping now both of Itachi's hands, "-is your destiny. And you need to be prepared. Unlike…" he didn't finish. His father's eyes clouded for a moment but soon became sharp again. He stood up. "Do you understand now?"

Itachi stared at him for a while but ultimately nodded. "Yes, chichi-ue."

He thought he saw a ghost of smile on his father's lips.

They reached, Itachi hoped, the last pair he had to be introduced to. It was a middle-aged woman with, apparently, her son. They… weren't what the Uchiha heir expected. The woman and her son wore a pair of nice but obviously worn kimono. The colors lost their shine a long time ago and Itachi could see the frayed ends. But what really surprised him was the way they (especially the mother) carried themselves.

The woman had her thin pale hand clasped on the boy's shoulder protectively (a lot like Uchiha Fugaku had on his) and looked as if she wanted to become part of the wall. Her shoulders were slightly hunched and her face was tired and defeated. Her hair, unlike Mikoto's luscious mane, reached only her chin (Itachi noticed a few grey strands amidst her otherwise black hair). Even with those imperfections, the five-year-old thought she still remained somewhat pretty. Her scared demeanor took away most of her beauty.

Her son was a different story. Itachi estimated he had to be around seven. There was something familiar about him that the young heir couldn't place. His brown hair was short but was set in a very peculiar way- as if they were flames on his head. His eyes were slanted and customary Uchiha black but once again, it was the way he carried himself that drew Itachi's attention.

He stood sullenly beside his mother and was glaring fiercely at Itachi.

Fugaku introduced them. "Itachi, this is Uchiha Ryo and her son, Shisui." There was a faint note of disdain in his father voice which made Itachi look at him with confusion. The woman bowed deeply to him. She gently nudged her son and he bowed as well.

"It's an honor to meet you, Itachi-sama." came her soft voice. Itachi was very surprised at the use of honorific- no one had ever addressed him like that before and he never expected them to. After all, he was just a kid.

The other boy, Shisui, seemed to share his sentiments as his glare intensified. However, he wisely deiced to stare at the floor, instead of him. His mother and Fugaku talked politely (even though his father clearly made effort to stay polite, Itachi could still hear in his voice a note of disregard), Itachi observed the boy. He was certain he had seen him before…

'_In the village? No, that's ridiculous. At New Year's festival? No, that's not it. On training grounds? In Nakano Temple? In…'_

In this moment, their eyes met, and Itachi knew.

"In the Library!" both adults and the seven-year-old turned to stare at him. Fugaku was the first one who recovered his vocal cords. "Itachi?"

"We've met before." replied the young Uchiha enthusiastically. He glanced at Shisui, who looked horrified. "I remember you, you were in our Main Library. You carried a lot of books, mostly ninja textbooks-"

"Shisui, have you-?" asked Ryo hesitantly.

"No, mom." Shisui answered her surely. "I was in Uchiha Library only once, when you asked me for that herb encyclopedia, remember? I, most certainly did _not_ take any shinobi books-"

"But I-" Itachi wanted to protest, however he caught Shisui's eye. The other boy was shaking his head "no"- it was such a faint gesture that Itachi would have missed it if he hadn't been paying attention. But it was Shisui's half-angry, half-pleading look that caused him to bite his tongue. Itachi back-tracked.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I must have mistaken you for someone else." He tried to look as sorry as possible. He glanced at Shisui. The boy was staring somewhere above Itachi's left shoulder with a perfectly controlled face.

Fugaku, who had been watching their conversation, spoke: "How old are you, Shisui?" His voice was much kinder than when he talked with Shisui's mother. Itachi had a feeling his father wasn't fooled by them. He still didn't understand why the other boy felt the need to hide the fact he was interested in ninja techniques. It was not like he would become anyone else, right?

Shisui glanced at his mother and only when she nodded he answered the question:

"I'm seven… sir." he added. Fugaku raised an eyebrow but his tone didn't change. "So, you are going to begin your first year at the Academy, isn't that correct?"

To Itachi's surprise, before Shisui's face changed again to the unreadable mask, for a millisecond he thought he looked… sad.

"No, sir. I… I'm not going to the Academy. I-"

"He isn't going to be a ninja." Shisui's mother interrupted him. For the first time, Itachi could see fire in her eyes. Her hands were trembling.

The young Uchiha was sure his father's eyes for a second turned red, but the adult seemed to compose himself quickly. "Ryo." Just this one word spoken in such cold tone, nearly caused Itachi to run away. He would have if not for his father's iron grip on his shoulder. "No matter what other blood your son has, he's still an Uchiha. And even his _father_," this time, he didn't even try to mask his contempt, "who came from that accursed _line_, was a shinobi- it's in his blood-"

"He's _my_ son. And I'll decide his path." She spoke softly but there was steel behind her words.

Fugaku smirked. "Shisui, what do _you_ think? Do you want to become a ninja?"

'_He knows.' _thought Itachi. _'He knows I wasn't mistaken about Shisui. Chichi-ue really plays dirty.'_

For his part, Shisui looked unsure how to answer. He ultimately squared his shoulders and said:

"My mom is right. I don't want to be a ninja." He didn't meet their eyes.

Fugaku was still smirking when they finished their talk. He had the right, Itachi assumed. He had made his point, after all.

When they were walking away, Itachi turned to look at the pair. Shisui's and his eyes met.

In those black slanted eyes, he could see envy.

* * *

He was surprised that everybody seemed to enjoy his party. There wasn't much entertainment but apparently a few good drinks and nice warm night was enough for people to have fun. Itachi yawned. It was unusual for him to be up so late but his parents were too busy with all those guest to pay him any attention. It was fine by him. Even though he'd been in Konoha for more than half a year, he still sometimes had problems with falling asleep. Especially when it was too early. Well, he hadn't had a curfew in Grass…

Itachi shook his head violently. No, he wouldn't think about that place now, not on his birthday. He sighed, looking outside the window at the partying Uchiha. He had never noticed how little children his age was in his clan. The only one closest to him was Shisui- all the other kids were already in their middle or late teens. He turned away from the window and walked up to the table where food was laid out. Salads, snacks, fruits, pancakes, all sorts of cakes and of course his birthday cake (this time he hadn't set the table on fire)- there was a lot to choose from.

It still didn't do much to elevate his mood. He wished he had someone he could talk to. He wished Sora was here. At least he wouldn't feel lonely. Speaking of the crow, he hoped it wasn't waiting on him and was already sleeping. If not, then… well, he would tomorrow deal with a very cranky bird. He smiled fondly, putting some chicken salad on his plate. And then he noticed he wasn't alone by the table.

Uchiha Shisui stared at him angrily. He held a plate full of food. Itachi was sure it was impossible for one person to eat it all.

Awkward silence descended on two boys. Itachi decided to do something about it.

"Um… Hi?"

Shisui only rolled his eyes in response. Itachi wasn't losing hope. _'Well, at least he responded!' _

"Um, uh… I'm Itachi." He immediately wanted to slap himself silly. They were already introduced! Of course Shisui knew who he was!

To his surprise, instead of walking away with a snort, Shisui only seemed amused. Which was far better than to be glared at, the younger boy admitted.

"Yeah, I kinda gathered that from the time your father introduced us." The older smirked. "You're pretty famous, being the son of Uchiha Clan's Head and all." Without his control, Itachi started to blush. He was unpleasantly reminded of his social status. He was suddenly aware of his well-tailored, brand new kimono next to Shisui's old one. It made him feel really self-conscious.

"Yes, well… Listen, I'm sorry about what I said before… I didn't realize-"

"Shhh!" Shisui whispered, slightly panicky now. "Do you want my mom to hear you?" He looked around. Satisfied that his mother was nowhere to be seen, he relaxed. "Yeah, I was surprised you even remembered me at all. We've seen each other for like, two seconds tops?"

"Hey, so it was you!" Itachi grinned widely and then he gaped at the other boy. "And you remembered me too!"

"Well, it was difficult not to." Shisui snorted. "You nearly ran me over-"

Itachi felt a strange need to protest that statement. "I didn't!"

"-and you took the last copy of the seventh volume of _"Summoning Jutsu"_!"

The younger Uchiha didn't have a reply for that. "Oh. Is that why you were no angry at me?"

It was Shisui's turn to blush. "I, ah… I wasn't angry at you." He scratched his nose in embarrassment.

"You were glaring at me." Itachi stated matter-of-factly. Why couldn't he just tell him? He'd be able to fix whatever he had done wrong. Shisui's face was on fire. "I wasn't! Anyway, I don't answer to you." He turned away to look at the delicious food before him. Itachi frowned in confusion. Was it something he had said? He didn't understand why the other boy didn't like him.

Pity… Because Itachi liked _him_.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Shisui piling even more food on his plate. He seemed really focused on the task as well. He barely noticed when some teen Uchiha (_'Uchiha Tekka'_) joined both of them at the table. But the boy did notice him when said teenager reached for the last slice of cheesecake- exactly at the same time when Shisui did.

It was just a flash, but Itachi caught it. Before Tekka snatched the piece, Shisui's free hand pointed at the teen's head. The Uchiha hesitated and then grabbed a piece of apple pie. He walked off.

Shisui, satisfied, took the last slice of cheesecake.

Itachi leaned in his direction. "You used genjutsu, didn't you?"

To his credit, Shisui managed not to drop his plate. But just barely.

"What?" his voice was reaching really high octaves here. "What gave you that idea?"

Itachi only gifted him with his best no-nonsense look he had adapted from Sora. Shisui cleverly chose this moment to get rid off of the evidence. He chewed with rapid speed his cheesecake.

The younger Uchiha bit his lower lip. Maybe he should just answer his question…

"Do you really want me to tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Shisui swallowed the last bite.

"Why do I think you used genjutsu?" Shisui gaped at him.

"What? No! What gave you… You know what? Never mind." He looked at him seriously. "So, what do you want?"

Itachi blinked. ""Want"?"

"Oh, stop playing around." Shisui said angrily. "What do you want to keep quiet about this?"

"You want me not to tell anyone that you used-?"

"Yes!"

"Okay."

"You-! Wait, what did you say?"

"I said: "Okay". Is there a problem?" Itachi asked worryingly.

"Well, no but… Don't you want anything in return?" The tone of voice suggested that the owner was mentally preparing himself for the unthinkable.

"Why would I want anything? What should I ask for, anyway?" And the unthinkable happened.

"I dunno… Everybody wants something… Stuff, you know…" Itachi stared at him. "So, you aren't blackmailing me?"

"No!" _'Why was Shisui-san asking such strange questions? Maybe I should find someone else to talk to…'_

"…Do you even know what "blackmailing" means?"

"Of course, I know!" Now Itachi was feeling offended.

"Okay, sorry, sorry!" Shisui put his hands up in surrender. "It's just not exactly normal for someone not to take advantage when presented with it."

"I guess?" Itachi replied hesitantly, genuinely at loss. "And I don't understand why you need to hide your skill. You're good."

"Yeah, of course you wouldn't understand." The seven-year-old scoffed. "Wait, you say I'm good?" he smiled gently. "Well, you've got a good eye. And, if I'm not mistaken, you should know a bit about genjutsu yourself, right?" Shisui smirked.

"Yes. A little." Itachi admitted without shame or hesitation. The older Uchiha's expression of smugness collapsed in the face of such gullibility and naiveté. What was the point of knowing enemy's secrets when they were not really secrets in the first place?

"…How old are you, exactly?"

"…I'm five today. It's my birthday." If it was any other person, those words would have been followed with "you idiot". But with Itachi, it was only told with confusion.

"…Shisui." said the seven-year-old, holding up his hand. The five-year-old smiled happily.

"Itachi." They shook hands.

"So, you wanna see some more of my tricks?"

"Of course!"

"Alright. Then watch." Shisui contemplated his next move. His eyes glinted maliciously. Finally, he seemed he found a proper victim. He hid his eyes from the general view but Itachi still noticed it.

There was Sharingan in Shisui's eyes.

Like Itachi's own, it had only one _tomoe_ in each eye and right now it was spinning wildly. The young Uchiha turned to the crowd.

He instantly knew, which one of the people Shisui had picked. There stood a 18-year-old Uchiha Inabi, slack-jawed and with vacant expression. Then he walked with sure and purposeful steps towards young women standing on the other side of the room. While passing, he was pushing a lot of people aside and Itachi understood that Shisui wanted to make the spectacle as big as possible. Once he reached the small group, he grabbed one of the women (Itachi was too far to recognize her) and kissed her passionately.

Pandemonium broke loose.

Someone (Itachi presumed it was the girl's father, judging by his angry expression and age) was trying to get to the pair, probably in the hopes of mauling the initiator of the kiss. He needn't have bothered. The kunoichi broke the kiss, looking winded and glassy-eyed, and promptly slapped the offender. Inabi regained his senses and was thoroughly confused as to how he had gotten there and why there was a pretty girl calmly slapping him around. The rest (especially the kunoichi's friends) were snickering and/or making inappropriate comments.

And Shisui was laughing his ass off. Itachi looked on, half-horrified, half-amused. He whispered to the older boy:

"You've used Sharingan genjutsu."

"Obviously." Shisui snarked back.

"Should I keep quiet about that, too?"

"Of course." He looked down at his fingers. "I know it's not that impressive like yours- you awakened it when you were four. I still think it's neat." Shisui narrowed his eyes. Itachi was reminded of the moment when the older boy had looked at his father. "Especially that I'm not Uchiha elite like you."

Itachi didn't answer for a moment. He glanced at the crowd of Uchiha (_his_ people), not really seeing them. "Does everybody know about my Sharingan?"

Shisui seemed surprised at the question. "Yeah, pretty much. I mean, my mom and I, we're as far from the Uchiha Clan as possible without being banished from it and we were still informed, so…" He shrugged.

Itachi was once again silent for a moment. "You were informed?" he finally asked. He wasn't looking at Shisui.

"Yeah…" there was a strange note in the boy's voice. Almost like pity. "At the clan meeting. That was what mom said anyway. It's not like I'm allowed to go there." Itachi frowned and didn't reply. He wondered what other thing they had been saying about him…

Shisui pulled him from his thoughts. "Wanna see another trick?" He was smiling that gentle smile again.

"Another genjutsu?"

"No, not this time. But I've got a feeling you're going to like it." Shisui took his hand and started walking him outside. Itachi protested halfheartedly. "I don't think I can-"

"What, go outside? Please. Come on, let's lose those people." They actually did manage to do that. The night was warm and the place they've found was devoid of his guests. However, they still could see the house and the people on the lawn. Shisui whistled, looking up at the sky. "No clouds. Perfect." He turned to Itachi. "Alright, sit down close to me, okay? Just watch out for that kimono, it's probably…" His voice wavered when he noticed that Itachi had already sat, kimono and all, looking surprisingly comfortable on the hard ground.

"…expensive." He stared pensively at the younger kid. "You're really not what I expected."

Itachi cocked his head. "Is that a bad thing?"

Shisui grinned in response. "Not at all." He sat down next to him. "Now observe the moon."

Itachi looked up. The moon was nearly full. There were no clouds and he had to admit, this far out, with almost none of the city lights, the night-sky was exposed in all its glory. He wasn't sure what Shisui wanted him to see, though.

Shisui held up his hand before Itachi so that his fingers were nearly touching the moon's outline.

"I'm going to capture it." Itachi glanced at him, surprised. Shisui was focused at the sky but pointed at him to watch. The Uchiha heir looked on as his finger neared the moon…

And touched it.

Itachi gaped. He was sure, Shisui wasn't really touching the moon but it looked so real… It honestly looked like the other was literally holding it.

Then, Shisui moved his hand so that it blocked the moon from Itachi's view. It looked like it closed around the moon… No, it _did_ close.

In Shisui's returning clenched fist, Itachi could see silver light emanating. His eyes followed it carefully, not quite believing what he was seeing. It was impossible and yet, here it was… There was the moon in his new friend's hand.

Shisui showed him his glowing hand with a smile and opened it.

There was nothing there.

No moon, no source of that silver light.

Itachi looked up. The moon was still there as if nothing happened.

Because nothing did.

The young Uchiha turned to his grinning cousin. "You used genjutsu on me, didn't you?" He wasn't sure how he felt about it. He was certain that he was impressed… And angry.

Shisui smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, a little bit, at the end."

Itachi frowned. "How come I haven't noticed?" The other boy laughed. "See, that's the beauty of it! Don't worry, I'll explain in detail." He held up his finger, like a professor to a student. "You do realize I didn't actually capture the moon, right." Itachi nodded. Of course, now it did seem rather obvious. "But I've already given you an idea that I could. I did that little show with holding the moon between my fingers. It's a neat trick when you do it properly. It completely skewers your perception. I wasn't using genjutsu there. It was all an illusion. No chakra, just… magic." He shrugged, still grinning. "And then I blocked the moon from your sight and gave you an impression that I was holding it in my hand. You may not have believed me right away, but your mind was already… let's say, accommodating to the idea that I did have it. The thought was already there, I just fueled it with my antics and then used genjutsu to sustain it when I was taking my hand away. Of course, I can't hold it long enough for you to not notice. Sooner or later you'd have dispelled it." Shisui looked excitedly at him, just like a kid performing before his parent.

Itachi shook his head. "It was… Shisui, it was _amazing_!" He forgot all about his anger. His heart was beating wildly with excitement that matched Shisui's. "I've never thought about using illusionary techniques that way! Genjutsu that is layered on the target's own perceptions and ideas. Not detectable in any way because it's just another one of the person's thoughts." Itachi smiled happily at Shisui. "That could become the strongest genjutsu ever!"

Shisui gaped at him. "Eh, right! I knew that!" he smiled nervously. "When you put it this way, it really sounds like a powerful weapon…" He immediately grew sad. His eyes lost that spark it had when they talked. "Pity, I probably won't use it."

Itachi watched him carefully. "Chichi-ue could talk to your mother about it, if you want."

"No way!" Shisui shouted. He seemed to regret his outburst and continued in a softer tone. "Listen, I appreciate the effort, but thanks. I… I understand why my mom doesn't want me to become a ninja." He bit his lower lip and closed his eyes. "I don't like it but I understand. She doesn't really need… Anyway, I don't have to be one to be happy, so…" he made a undistinguishable noise, something between a sigh and a groan.

Itachi pressed on. "But you're an Uchiha! How can you not be a shinobi?" He couldn't even fathom that thought. A non-ninja member of his clan? The very thought was just-

_Absurd. Completely absurd_.

Itachi didn't dwell too much onto why that sounded so ironic to him.

And why his heart hurt so much at the idea.

"Well, not everybody in the Clan is a shinobi, you know. And I still could find a job in the village, if I wanted to." Shisui shrugged.

"But you already have Sharingan! And you're so skilled at genjutsu! And you like it! Chichi-ue seemed to want to help you, so-"

"Itachi, no offense, but let's not talk about your father, okay? For various reasons, I'm not jumping from joy at owing him anything, 'kay?"

"Why?" Itachi asked surprised. "He… was nice to you."

Shisui snorted. "Yeah, exactly. He was nice to me, but treated my mom like someone below his notice. She doesn't deserve to be treated that way." He had once again, that serious look in his eyes. Itachi was afraid to press him about it. They still didn't know each other that well for Shisui to divulge that kind of information to him. It obviously meant a lot to him, whatever it was.

"Shisui-" he began but was cut off but the other boy. "Uhuh, I smell trouble."

Itachi turned around. All the guests that had previously occupied the lawn mysteriously disappeared. But Shisui was probably talking about two women than ran in their direction.

Mikoto reached them first. She instantly pulled her son to his feet. "What were you doing?" she hissed. Itachi shrank back but she grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. "I've been looking for you for the past hour. Your guests are leaving and you're not even there to bid them farewell." From the corner of his eyes he saw Shisui's mother fretting over her son.

"Oh, Shisui, what were you doing with Uchiha's Heir? I hope you showed him respect he deserves-"

"Mom, please." There a note of desperation in his voice. "We don't have to act like this-"

"Shisui, do not say such words!" Ryo admonished him, slightly hysterically. "We mustn't-! We shall show respect-"

"Mom, please don't-" but she wasn't listening. She faced Mikoto and Itachi and bowed deeply. "Itachi-sama, please forgive my son, if he offended you in any way." She apologized while Shisui watched her with a broken expression. Itachi pitied him. He pitied_ her,_ too.

"But he didn't offend me in any way!" he protested. "We were just talking-!"

"Please, forgive me, Itachi-sama, I'll make sure my son won't bother you in the future." She still didn't raise from her bow. Shisui and Itachi exchanged panicked glances.

'_No!' _"But that's not-!"

"I agree." Mikoto's voice was cold as ice. Itachi gaped at her. He wanted to explain everything but his voice died in his throat. He had seen her like this before. It was the time before he had returned from Grass: cold and distant. Out of reach. He whispered a broken "No." but it was in vain. She didn't even seem to hear him. He searched for any other possible help, any escape route…

He saw his father standing in the porch. The moonlight and the soft glow of the house made his features clearly visible.

He was displeased.

Itachi bowed his head, defeated. He turned to look at Shisui, to explain to him without words that he didn't want it, it wasn't what he envisioned at all, that he was so sorry…

It was like looking in the mirror. They were so different in appearances and yet, their expressions said the same thing.

"_I'm sorry it turned out like this."_

They stood silently beside their mothers, trapped in their positions.

Shisui smiled at him reassuringly. _"Don't worry. We'll meet again."_

Itachi didn't smile, not really. It was more of a grimace but he hoped Shisui understood. _"I wish I could believe you."_

Mikoto got his attention by sharply pulling him with her. She hissed a quick goodbye to Ryo and her son and started walking towards the house, nearly dragging Itachi along.

"Don't you ever associate with that boy again, do you understand?"

Itachi didn't. "Why? We were just talking, nothing happened-"

"Stop." Mikoto cut him off. "You don't need distractions. They-"

"I've had _ENOUGH_!" Itachi freed himself from her grasp. Yesterday never happened? _Right_. "Why are you doing this to me? I actually talked with someone close to my age and you just… It's like with Minato-san, why-?"

"You will _not_ talk to me in this manner." She brushed him off quickly and tried to catch his hand again. "We're going inside."

"I can walk by myself, _mother_." He ran away from her, ignoring her angry calls. He brushed past his father, not even sparing him a glance, and ran up to his room, slamming the door behind him.

He wiped away the tears that leaked out during his argument. If he could just understand what was going on. Why were they acting like this? Just why?

He walked to the open window.

'_Outside. I need to be outside.' _

He felt lonely, he felt trapped, he felt…

Suffocated.

He needed this.

He jumped nimbly to the tree and slid down. He breathed the night air. Even though he had spent the whole evening out, it was almost refreshing to feel it again.

He leaned against the tree's trunk and closed his eyes, slowly relaxing. Maybe he should sleep there today, or maybe always? It was so quiet, so nice…

'_No!'_

Suddenly, every bone in his body screamed at him to run. Itachi managed to control himself but just barely. He felt the beginning of panic starting to emerge from his subconscious but couldn't answer why.

But he felt it. He had thought it was quiet- it was true, however…

There was no animals, not even a breeze, almost like the air itself decided to freeze in anticipation.

Everything was eerily silent.

Even Sora wasn't…

Itachi felt his heart freeze. _'No, please, not him!'_

"S-sora?" he called out.

There was no answer.

Itachi swallowed loudly and moved on shaking legs towards Sora's nest.

He didn't reach it.

The moon was nearly full and there was no clouds. He could see everything in detail as if it was a sunny day.

He could see that the nest was destroyed. He could see dark splotches on the grass and the walls of the building. He could see feathers, darker and lighter spread on the ground.

He could see Sora laying in the grass, wings stretched to the bird's full wingspan, unnaturally stiff and silent.

_Dead. _


	17. Prodigy

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. No profit either so back off!_

_Warnings: Eh, I think it's called High Octave Nightmare Fuel. I won't be surprised if your reaction after this chapter will be "What the fuck is wrong with you?"*shrugs*. In my defence, it could be even more creepy (mwahaha) but I eased on the booze. And of course: no beta._

_Chapter dedicated to Avatar:TLA episode "Nightmares and Daydreams", "The Earth King" and cactus juice. And Polish Handball Men's Team *hugs*- Stupid refrees!_

_Read&Enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: Prodigy

Itachi learned to trust his senses. He understood early in life that he saw things few noticed, heard and connected sounds that none of the children and most likely not that many adults were capable of. He knew and understood that a human mind was faulty as he couldn't remember the first three years of his life but he also knew that it wasn't normal when he still could, with so little effort, recall every day he had spent in Grass, down to minimal detail. Maybe that was why he survived. He had adapted, learned and acted accordingly to his changing circumstances.

He wasn't sure his parents knew. No, he saw they didn't but sometimes he tried to pretend he was still uncertain.

Now, he was standing in his backyard, staring blankly at Sora's corpse- (_'no, no blankly, never that, he wasn't that lucky because he knew...'_)- and tried in vain to stop his galloping thoughts.

_-he could see Sora's unresponsive body, could see the unmoving chest, the stiffness-_

_-he couldn't hear and it was the most frightening of all-_

_-he couldn't touch but could smell and taste the sweetness of decay, of course he recognized it, how could he not when-_

"Stop." it was his own voice, as if coming from far away. It was more of a sob and he noticed that his vision was blurred.

Itachi took a raspy breath but it didn't help lessen the pain in his chest, didn't elevate the sudden weight on his shoulders, it wasn't helping anything-

Some detached part of him commented that he was going into shock.

He heard another sob, and one more before he fell on his knees, his hands covering his mouth in hopes of stifling those embarrassing cries .

"Sora... Sora..." someone was moaning. While he couldn't make the connection between his vocal cords and those words, he knew that logically it could come only from him.

He panted harshly, feeling as if he was being slowly drowned. He was loosing focus-

_'It had to be dead for several hours, judging from the state of the body.'_

His eyes widened, and for a second he completely froze, not even breathing. Even through this panic, he had never lost sight of the bird's body.

"It, it, it-!" he whispered in horror, his own thoughts betraying him.

_'It had to happen when I was at the party...'_

_Happy birthday, Itachi._

Something in his mind broke and he fell on the ground.

He bit his lower lip to keep from wailing. Instead, he was moaning pitifully, twisting in grass. Tears were running down his face, face which he was pressing towards earth, keeping himself forcefully from looking into the direction where Sora was laying, so still and-

He choked and tangled his fingers in his short hair, pulling and twisting.

It hurt, it hurt so much but it was nothing compared to the pain in his heart, the overwhelming guilt and hopelessness he felt.

He let out a low keening sound and violently flinched how much familiar this all was.

_He was alone. The ninja came and went but he remained. They sometimes gave him_ _fresh food and water but it wasn't enough._

"Stop..." he whispered in vain, closing his eyes in hopes of baiting away his memories. But he already knew it was a lost battle.

_He jumped at the barely roasted meat like an animal. He managed to steal it from the enemy (here everyone was an enemy) and wasn't about to waste his time. But he still was too slow. Kunai sailed right above his head but he was prepared. His own blade glinted in his hand as he cut the line that kept his trap hidden. He only heard pain-filled cries as he ran away, not once looking back._

"I said, stop!"

_He wasn't going to see his parents again. He might as well get used to it._

"Please." he whispered, once again on his knees, looking pleadingly at the bright moon.

_Grass was going to be his grave..._

Then he heard it: a soft fluttering of wings. Itachi gasped and stood up, willing to hope against all common sense.

"Sora?" he called out with wonder. "Sora, it's you, isn't it?" Against all hope...

His eyes landed on the bird that he had mistaken for his friend. The black bird was perched on a tree, and it took Itachi only one glance to determine that it indeed wasn't Sora. It took him another to realize that he had seen this bird before.

He shakily took a step back.

The gigantic bird he had encountered so many weeks before (_'Thick-billed raven.', _even now, he was able to accurately name it) looked at him with its intelligent eyes.

"_Raven-_

_Class: Aves_

_Order: Passeriformes_

_Family: Corvidae_

_Genus: Corvus_

_The name "raven" has been applied to several other (generally large) species of the genus Corvus -_

_-apart from its greater size, the raven differs from its cousins, the crows, by having a larger and heavier, black beak, shaggy feathers around the throat and above the beak, and a wedge-shaped tail-_

_-its very wide and complex vocabulary includes a high, knocking toc-toc-toc, a dry, grating kraa, a low guttural rattle and some calls of an almost musical nature. In flight the feathers produce a creaking sound that has been likened to the rustle of silk-_

_-relationships between ravens are often quarrelsome, yet they demonstrate considerable devotion to their families__-_

_-ravens can mimic sounds from their environment, including human speech. They have a wide range of vocalizations-_

_-for a bird, they display ability in problem solving, as well as other cognitive processes such as imitation and insight-_

_-it has been recognized that those birds engage in play-_

_-the raven is a powerful animal totem, a protector and spirit guide -_

_-he's a shape- shifter, a messenger and a symbol of transformation-_

_-black feathers and the fathomless look of the raven symbolize mystery, the occult and dark secrets. But far from being miserly, the raven will share its knowledge with those who respect the wisdom of the ancient world- _

_-as the raven has an uncanny ability to mimic the sounds of other animals and humans, its unique pitch is believed to shift consciousness to another level-_

_-the raven acquired his reputation as a trickster but was also a favorite symbol for doom and death-"_

"W-what... What are you doing here?" Itachi asked out loud, softly. Terror gripped his heart but he managed to control it. Yet.

The raven tilted its head to the side and _cackled_.

"Cras, cras!"

Itachi started shaking even though he knew that this was normal, this was how ravens acted, they imitated sounds, it was common but-

The ancient words for "tomorrow" only festered his fear.

He shook his head "no" as he stepped back.

"No, no, stop it, don't-"

But the bird wasn't listening as it continued to cackle, the sound so horribly _human_-

"I said stop it!" Itachi desperately shouted at it. Suddenly, tremendous pain exploded behind his eyes and he couldn't stop his cry. His vision swam for a moment but as quickly as it came, the pain disappeared and he could see clearly. When he managed to once again focus on the tree, what he saw made him fall on his back.

In the place previously occupied by the raven, sat a man.

He looked so out of place, perched on a thick branch, but somehow completely at ease with the situation. His right hand was propped up on his knee as he slouched back. He wore a heavy black cloak which kept his face hidden from view but Itachi could see he was tall, taller than his father, and muscular. He noticed dark shaggy hair sticking out from under his hood.

Itachi sucked in air with great difficulty. Raw fear and terror made his hands shake and mind freeze. The air between them was so thick he could barely swallow. The man's relaxed frame didn't change even though he must have known Itachi could see him. Or...

_'Is this... Is this only my imagination? Is... Is any of this real?' _he thought desperately, trying to make sense of the situation.

He knew he should scream for help. He knew he should run. But he remained rooted on the spot, shaking with fright.

The man only tilted his head and regarded him curiously, in ironic imitation of the raven that had sat there previously. Itachi swallowed painfully.

"Who are you?" he asked softly.

The stranger didn't answer. Hysteria was slowly blanketing young Uchiha's mind.

"Why are you here?"

Once again there was no answer but the air around the man shifted and Itachi realized, on some subconscious level, it was a wrong thing to ask.

The cloaked figure was angry.

He didn't need to speak and yet Itachi knew, as if something within him became one with the man. Waves of anger washed over the Uchiha and he moved back another inch.

God, he was shaking so badly he could hear the grass rustling with his every move.

"G-go away..." he whispered, not even trying to pretend to be tough. The command was so hesitant, so pleading that Itachi could barely believe it was coming from him.

There was a pause before the man's shoulder started slightly shaking.

With _mirth_, Itachi instantly understood.

Hot tears of shame rolled down his cheeks as fire bloomed in his gut. He swiftly jumped to his feet.

"Stop it." he ordered and was pleased to hear strength in his voice. He didn't need to raise his voice- it almost vibrated in the enclosed space between them. The man stopped laughing but amusement didn't leave him, that much was obvious. Finally, he made a dismissive motion with his hand before pointing it at Sora's body.

Itachi almost immediately curled into himself, his previous bravado disappearing. He tried to keep himself from bursting into tears and somehow managed to control himself enough to grace the stranger with a furious look.

Then, completely catching him of guard, Itachi felt himself go rigid, not being able to move even a muscle. His face froze in an angry scowl he had adapted- he couldn't even widen his eyes! It was almost like being encased in a block of ice. And suddenly some invisible force made him turn his head in the direction of the stiff crow, as if a cold hand gripped his chin and moved it.

He couldn't move but inside he was reeling, shaking, crying and...

He heard a soft voice in his mind:

_Observe._

His eyes strayed to the side to see the man lazily turning to look at the crow's body. Itachi saw him sigh and...

Itachi understood a second before it happened.

A fireball burst into life and enveloped Sora's body almost instantly.

Young Uchiha's horrified wail never left him- he watched helplessly, fighting uselessly in his bonds, how his friend's body was eaten away by hungry flames. Flames of a technique he knew so well, never saw in life but of course was aware of because it was his clan's own-

The spell that was put on him vanished and Itachi was running to the fire, to do something, anything...

As if sensing his intent, the fire grew wider, licks of flame bursting out in all direction causing him to once again fall on his back. He watched in horror as Sora... Sora was being...

"WHY?" he screamed, tiny fists pounding at the hard ground. "Why, why, _why_? H-how could you-?"

_Yes. How could _you_ just stand there and do nothing, little baby crow?_

Itachi stopped. He could barely see anything through the tears obscuring his vision. But what made him grip strands of grass tight was a realization that he had done nothing to-

_'No, please, I can't...' _he was sobbing not from anger or hurt but guilt. Because he hadn't been there when Sora had needed him, because he couldn't even protect his friend's body...

A slight night breeze ruffled his tangled hair. Something powdery hit his wet cheeks.

Ash.

He bit his lower lip so hard that blood ran freely from the wound.

A rustle of something like silk made him look up. The man seemed to shift into a thinking position and was observing him as if he was a particularly interesting specimen in a flask. Itachi couldn't even manage to get up, just crawled as far away as he could from the man. It was so undignified, so pathetic that Itachi didn't need to glance back to know what the other thought of him.

_Disgusting. _

It caused Itachi to stop and he called out, not looking back:

"Then kill me. _Please_." he never pleaded anyone for death. Never. Not even in Grass. He expected it, he searched for it, yes. But never pleaded another human for death. Until now.

The answer was swift, spoken in his mind with a deceptively soothing tone:

_You're not even worth killing. _

Itachi closed his eyes in shame.

Whatever self-restraint and pride he possessed deserted him, leaving him a subject to his primal instincts.

He fled.

* * *

If he was being honest with himself, Minato had to admit he hadn't given Itachi his necklace in hopes of making sure the child called him when in need. Unfortunately, he knew those type of people well enough to know that they could be on a brink of death and still remain too stubborn to call for help. That was why he made sure the tag he placed on it reacted to any chakra use, not only the one used consciously.

When he got the signal, he had been finishing his last portion of unsigned paperwork. It hadn't taken him long to gather his wits and use _Hiraishin_.

What he saw when he had shimmered into existence was a sight he never would have wished on his greatest enemy.

In reality he should have expected as much. What had he said to Sarutobi after returning from Grass? _"He's just as broken as he was before. I was only able to pick up the pieces, nothing more."_

What a cruel truth.

Itachi before him never looked as similar as he had in Grass like in this very moment.

He was wearing a nice formal kimono- (_'Of course, his birthday...'_) which was dirty in several places. It only added to surrealism of the scene. His black hair was tangled, his lower lip was split and tears were still fresh on his cheeks. But the worst were his eyes.

They were bright red, without a single rational thought in them.

Minato was struck with a terrible sense of déjà vu.

He could at least thank the gods that whatever made Itachi run, it at least caused him to run to a secluded place. If he wasn't mistaken, they were near Nakano River. Well, at least he didn't have to worry about an audience.

The boy jumped away from him, obviously startled by his appearance. Minato didn't manage to grab him in time but the stand-off gave him time to asses the situation properly.

"Itachi, can you hear me?"

No answer. The creature in Itachi's skin looked at him warily, keeping out of reach. Many at this point would have given up on trying to talk through to him but thankfully Namikaze wasn't just anyone. And he didn't want to resort to violence. He inched closer to the boy.

"Itachi, it's me- Namikaze Minato. We've met before, remember?" Without waiting for response he continued: "I gave you that necklace." Itachi frowned in confusion. His hand hesitantly rose to his neck but before it could touch it, he stopped it.

Red eyes narrowed.

Suddenly, Itachi turned nimbly and moved as if to jump once again but Minato had foreseen it. He closed their distance in less than a second and when Itachi was already in air, Yondaime grabbed his hand and tugged him down. A terrified cry escaped the boy and Minato's heart twisted but he didn't relinquish his grasp on him. So, Itachi did the only thing he could.

He punched him.

Minato expected the move- that was why he let it happen. What he didn't expect was the force behind it- it made his head turn to the side and his grip loosen which resulted in Itachi very nearly breaking free.

_'I know he's terrified, I know when a mind looses its inhibitions it causes the human's agility and strength to increase but for goodness' sake_ _this is a five-year-old!'_

He gathered his senses and once again moved to grab him. Unfortunately, he made a mistake of looking into the boy's eyes. Or maybe Itachi purposely maneuvered himself to make this happen.

Two-_tomoe _Sharingan was spinning.

Straps of images invaded his mind.

_-two shinobi were holding a battered and pregnant Kushina against the wall, while a third one was approaching her with a kunai in his hand-_

_-he saw her scream something at his attacker-_

_-there were tears in her beautiful eyes as she looked straight at him-_

_-the shinobi didn't point his kunai at her neck but her stomach- his threat clear and obvious-_

_-she looked pleadingly at Minato and her lips formed only one sentence-_

_-"Let him go."-_

This one order that meant to make him let Itachi free, caused an opposite reaction. His other hand shot out and grabbed Itachi by the neck, pressing him into his chest. Itachi flailed and wailed as if scalded but Minato put his hand on the child's mouth to silence him. Little teeth sank hard into his flesh but it was enough. He once again used _Hiraishin_ and they both were flying through the fabric of space together.

Even though it felt like hours, their encounter by the river could only have lasted a few minutes.

Minato gasped as they appeared in his safe-house. He let Itachi go- he himself was still shaken from being put under genjutsu. He could definitely relate to Hizashi.

Itachi wasted no time in trying to break free. He instantly ran to the window to open it but he almost as quickly bounced back and landed painfully on the floor. Minato was glad for all the barrier jutsu he placed around the house. He plucked one of his special kunai from the wooden floor- he would replace it later, for now he didn't want the child to hurt himself.

Young Uchiha turned to face him then, his figure tense controlled. Minato still couldn't see any emotion in him. It saddened to see the boy like this- reduced to be a mindless vessel. He fought the urge to rub his bruised jaw- he knew the _real _Itachi would have had much more finesse than this.

Suddenly, Itachi attacked him. Minato parried each stroke but he had to admit- even so young and considering the state he was in- Itachi was good. His movements were fluid and precise, with just enough strength behind it.

But it obviously lacked mind and control- right now he was acting on instinct only. There was no plan behind it, no deeper meaning. Finally, he managed to move behind him to catch him in a headlock but Itachi propelled himself, nearly somersaulted over him and kicked him in the head. Minato grunted in pain. He was surprised that Itachi could bend himself so far that he could reach his head. It wasn't enough to make him lose consciousness but he had to release him. But before Itachi could turn this into his advantage, Minato pulled him to the ground, practically wrestling him. Finally, he locked Uchiha's legs between his own and put his hand on the thin neck.

Itachi froze. For the first time, Minato could see a flicker of rationality in those red eyes. It didn't last long- tears spilled anew and the boy sobbed uncontrollably. He twisted and writhed, not willing to give up. Namikaze pitied him.

He placed a chakra-infused hand on the child's forehead and said gently but firmly:

"Sleep."

Itachi didn't fight him. Maybe, on some subconscious level, he was aware that he could trust Minato. His eyelids dropped and body relaxed.

Minato sighed in relief. And then sighed in worry as he regarded the sleeping kid. He gently picked him up (_'Why the fuck is he so light?"_) and laid him down on the futon. He started peeling away his clothes. Once he did that, he went to the bathroom to wet a towel and at least try to remove dirt from Itachi's face. Pleased with his work, he covered the child with a blanket and observed the steady rise of the boy's chest. He allowed himself to relax. Just a little.

He ran his hand through his hair. "I probably should tell Kushina I'm going to be late..." He rubbed at his eyes, trying to keep sleep away. He tiredly sat at the desk and wrote a few words of apology. He mechanically summoned a frog and gave it the letter. It knew what it had to do.

With that done, he turned to his young companion genuinely at loss. He sat next to the futon and observed him carefully. He was always good at observation- it was perhaps more deadly that many shinobi thought, really. He noticed Itachi's puffy and reddened eyes, dried tears and pale face. He touched the boy's forehead. It was warm, perhaps he had a slight fever but nothing worrisome. As for his actions today...

Minato embraced his title of a ninja genius, fully knowing that denying the obvious was immature and childish. There weren't many situations when he hesitated.

"Look at me now, huh?" he smiled wryly. "Some proper genius I am." he snorted. Well, it wasn't like he didn't have any hypothesis about what happened today. He had quite a number of them. Unfortunately, they all pointed to result he wanted to avoid. The result where drastic wasn't covering it.

So, maybe it wasn't that he wasn't a prodigy, but just a coward.

_'Either way, I'm pretty useless. Joy.'_

Itachi shifted restlessly under the covers and Minato snapped to attention. The child was frowning and mumbling something in his sleep. Suddenly, his head turned to the side and at the same time Minato had to flinch away when something hot passed inches away from his nose. Another turn of head and this time a black welt appeared on the wall opposite of him.

"Well, shit."

He started shaking Itachi awake but it didn't help. The boy was still caught in his nightmare. Minato frowned and after another ineffectual shake he snarled impatiently:

"Itachi!"

At that, Uchiha gasped heavily and his eyes snapped open. Minato's relief was short-lived as he noticed the boy was still asleep. His clouded black eyes flickered from Sharingan to normal color back and forth. He could feel his hands growing wet from the boy's sweat where he was touching him. It called for desperate measures.

He recalled how during one of the battles with Kirigakure, ninja who had been subjected to heavy genjutsu had suffered terrible nightmares. After Tsunade left the village, there was very few people who could heal them.

Hyuuga Hitomi, Hiashi's wife, was one of them. She was never much of a fighter, but was a kind and gentle soul, which made her perfect as a healer. Her chakra control, thanks to her family and hard-work was exceptional and while he was sure many in her clan viewed healing as beneath their notice, Hitomi had thrived under Tsunade's tutelage. When the Sannin left, she became the most wanted healer in the village.

Minato had had a pleasure of seeing her work.

They called him a genius. He may as well start acting like one!

He placed both hands on Itachi's head and ran his chakra through it. The boy's chakra network was a complete mess: knots, loose ends, cut strands... He had to wonder if this was a result of a damaged psyche?

Because it sure as hell felt like a multi-layered genjutsu.

But then again, perhaps it made sense for it to look like that. After all, how many thoughts and memories Itachi had pushed away to be able to function somewhat normally through this year?

It was disconcerting how easily he had fooled his parents. How easily he had fooled _him_.

Preparing himself for a long night, he carefully began untangling this whole mess.

Figuratively and literally.

* * *

_Itachi had to be dreaming. It was the only conclusion that explained how he traveled several miles from his home in Konoha to the battlefield in Grass._

_He remembered returning to his room after the party- after that he had to fall asleep somehow because any other possibility sounded absolutely silly. Like anyone would be willing to kidnap him and in a matter of second transport him to this place without anyone noticing. _

_Yes, he had to be dreaming. _

_Secure in his conclusion, Itachi freely observed the sight before him. While his instincts told him he was in Grass, his subconscious seemed to go out of its way to make it as different as possible without changing it beyond impossible. Trees were black and leafless, grass was a color of ruby (probably because of the setting sun, Itachi thought) and sky looked surreal with a mixture of green, blue, red and yellow. _

_Young Uchiha himself felt different as well. He wore his standard clothes but every move he made was done with mild difficulty, as if his arms and legs suddenly weighted five kilos more. Grass made crunching noise as he walked around the field, looking at everything in interest. He was alone and yet he felt-_

"_Why, hello there."_

_-watched. "Hm, Not so alone, then." he commented to himself. The answering laugh caused him to realize he said what was supposed to be a private thought out loud. He blushed and searched for the source of the mysterious laugh. _

_He found a man (the voice was definitely male) sitting on a branch of a nearby tree. Even though his face was hidden from view, Itachi could tell he was relaxed. Something about him seemed familiar even though Itachi was sure they had never met. _

"_Hello." he answered hesitantly. They both regarded themselves for a moment before Itachi decided to break the uncomfortable silence:_

"_My name is Uchiha Ita-" _

"_I know who you are." he interrupted, amusement evident._

_Itachi blinked. "Oh." he looked around. "Do you know why I am here, sir?"_

_The man scoffed, obviously annoyed by his question. The change in his mood was so fast that Itachi stepped back in surprise. _

"_It's not the right question." Itachi frowned, not really understanding the man's issue. "I-I'm sorry, I-"_

"_You should have asked me a different question." he snarled, irritated at Itachi's inability to grasp such simple concept. _

_Young Uchiha only looked at him in confusion. "And what question is that?"_

_The hooded figure made a dismissive gesture with his hand. Something in Itachi's memory shivered at the familiar scene._

"_You've already asked me the correct one. But it seems your attention span is very much like a child's. Pity, really." Itachi could feel disappointment radiate from the adult. "I expected too much, it seems."_

_The boy's narrowed in annoyance. "I'm five, _sir._" He was growing tired of meeting everybody's expectations. Be more like a child, Itachi! No, be more like an adult! _

"_Would be great if they just left me be myself." he muttered sullenly. He didn't care the stranger heard him. Why should it matter, anyway? It was just a dream._

_The man seemed to rub his chin in thought. "Hardly, I'd say. You're more like a teenager." Itachi blinked, not expecting his question to be treated seriously. "A teenager who doesn't know what he wants." He couldn't see it, but was sure a smirk was adorning the man's face. "Or maybe is just too afraid to fight for himself." A shrug. "Take your pick, _boy_." he said the last word with relish. _

_Itachi decided to ignore him. "Why do you think my question was stupid?"_

"_I've never said it was stupid." the man pointed out. "I'd rather say... misplaced." Itachi frowned, trying to make sense of what was being said. "Why?"_

"_Again with "why"!" They both were quickly growing frustrated at their poor communication. "How can you find your answers when you don't ask right questions? "Cause and effect"- don't they teach that anymore? You don't even know basics and yet you ask "why"! Come on, boy, use that brain of yours! Aren't you supposed to be above normal human standards?" Itachi knew he was being baited but he still felt his temper raise. He gritted his teeth and willed himself to calm down. If he wanted to make the man shut up, he had to start thinking clearly. _

_He frowned. What question had he already asked? He didn't remember meeting this strange person before so how could he have asked him anything? There was something, though. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something askew, something deeper... He grimaced in pain as he touched the side of his head. What did he miss?_

"_Why are _you_ here, then? What's your purpose here?"_

_The man made a incomprehensible noise at that. "Eh. Better but still not it. As for your answer... No, I can't tell you. And before you ask "why"- he added mockingly, "It's because you skipped one question you should have asked before jumping ahead. Especially when you don't know the answer."_

_Itachi stared at him silently. "You say that a lot. "Questions". "Answers". Implying I don't know anything. Implying... there are secrets?" he paused for a moment. "Should I fear you?" he blurted out._

"_Oh, that's very close!" it looked like the man was a hair away from clapping his hands in delight. But Itachi knew, was sure of it, it was mockery at its finest. "And I'm not exactly implying. I was certain I was speaking quite plainly. But I'll give you a hint." He turned his head to the side, last rays of the sun bathed his face in light and Itachi caught a wide grin on the man's face. "I'm sure after that, you'll have your answers." _

_Itachi gasped, his hands flying to press against his chest in worry. It felt like someone just grabbed his very essence and tried to pull it out of him. Their surroundings seemed to change, too. Trees bended themselves, as if against some great wind. The earth trembled under Itachi's feet and he swayed precariously. And the sun... _

_The sun burst into flames. Itachi stared at it, transfixed. It was so familiar, he should have been able to remember... What was he missing?_

_As quickly as it came, it was over. Itachi could breath again and glanced at the stranger. He couldn't be sure of course but he just got the feeling that..._

_He was as surprised as Itachi._

"_Huh?" he drawled. "Well, I wasn't going to be as dramatic as that but... It seems someone is being very rude." Under the hood, Itachi was certain his eyes narrowed to slits. "Hm, doesn't matter, I suppose. Your hint-" he addressed Itachi, "is arriving."_

_Itachi gaped. Something was approaching them both from the dead forest. A black bird. Very dear black bird... _

"_Sora!"Itachi screamed in delight. He couldn't explain the sudden relief he felt at the sight of the crow but decided to ignore it for now. Sora was just passing by the tree the man sat and he would soon reach Itachi. The boy moved forward..._

_There was a tip of the sword sticking out of Sora's chest._

_Itachi's smile froze on his face as he stared at the unexpected sight. _

"_What-? W-wh..." his eyes followed the weapon right to the hand holding it and higher. _

_The man in the tree held with such nonchalance..._

_Itachi exploded. "Why did you do that? How could you, why did you do it?"_

_The person seemed to barely hear him. "You know what I hate about human mind the most? It's a tendency to block any traumatic event from person's memory. Take yourself for instance." he said mildly, gesturing with the hand still holding the sword with a stabbed crow. Itachi watched with horrified fascination at the grotesque scene. "I actually expected you to be different. You didn't forget anything form your escapade to Grass. Your mind didn't block it- it took it apart and engraved the experience into your memory. Now, I think it just wasn't traumatic enough for you. Or maybe it just lasted too long for you to wipe it clean?" he made a soft hm-ing noise as he thought about it, twirling the sword absentmindedly. Itachi was breathing shallowly and quickly, trying to calm... _

_The man scoffed. "Doesn't matter. You disappointed me. You turned out to be just like a normal human. All it took was a death of someone close and you balked." For the first time Itachi could see the man's eyes. They glowed dark red from the darkness cast by the hood. "So disgustingly primitive. Pathetic. Weak. Preferring to look away from reality."_

"_W-what... What do you mean?" Itachi whispered, terrified. "You can't mean..." The man didn't say anything but Itachi wouldn't have listened even if he did. He shook as he felt to his knees, as memories flooded his mind._

"_Sora..." he sobbed the name as he clenched his fingers. The man's voice reached him from far away. _

"_Actually, you should be grateful to me. I'm helping you reach the pick of your potential. By the way," he added lightly, "do you know what question you should have asked me?"_

_Itachi raised his tear-stained face. "Who are you?" he asked neutrally. _

"_That is correct!" The man inclined his head, sarcastically. "Of course I wouldn't have made it so easy. I would have asked you to be more specific. And you should have said-"_

"_Are you a friend or a foe?" Itachi finished, his voice cold and hard. He was standing up, his expression chilling and menacing. If one looked closely, it seemed like a shadow was wrapped around his slight form- it resembled a living entity: almost like flames battling the nonexistent wind. _

"_Very good! It seems you can learn." the man nodded in satisfaction. "Maybe I wasn't wrong about you? You just needed a slight push in the right direction."_

"_You MONSTER!" Itachi shouted. _

"_Eh, I've been called worse." The man waved him off. "Though I'm not sure what I did to deserve this from you?"_

"_That's-! You killed Sora!" _

"_Oh, I did?" The man expressed nothing but innocent surprise. "Then, why are you holding the sword?"_

"_I'm not-!" Itachi's words died in his throat as he looked at his right hand. A hand that held the sword with Sora's body hanging from it like a rag-doll. His eyes grew wide as he stared at it. Blood from the crow's wound trailed down the blade and reached his hand. He dropped it with a cry._

"_No, no!" he shouted, looking with desperation at the cloaked figure and finding no one. He was alone. "No! It was you, I know it was you! Come back, you COWARD!" his voice broke after that and he couldn't contain a moan of hopelessness. "I didn't... I didn't do it!" he pleaded to the empty meadow. "It wasn't my fault!"_

"_Wasn't it?" came a voice from behind him. Itachi whipped around, finding the cloaked man standing there. "Don't look away from truth. Don't reject reality just because it doesn't suit your tastes." he pointed at the laying crow. "It's dead." Itachi made himself look at the body. Sora was stiff, its head bend in awkward angle. Blood was still leaking from the open wound, staining grass red. Itachi let a sob leave his throat, admitting the cruel truth. "I'm sorry, Sora... I'm so sorry..." His regret turned instantly to horror as he looked closely at grass. It was such a peculiar color of red... He attributed it to the sun painting it like that. But now, he could see..._

_The whole field was stained with blood._

_Suddenly, everything seemed to come alive. Grass and trees melted and liquified, swirling around Itachi and he recognized to his horror, he was starting to sink!_

_He turned to the man for answers and found him standing unconcernedly before him, staring at him with blood-red eyes. He was actually being pulled higher by this strange liquid form. _

_Or rather, it was just Itachi was being pulled lower. He flailed and strained, his hand reached out in fear for the man to help him. The other didn't move._

"_That was your first lesson. Let's meet again."_

_It was the last word Itachi heard before he was plunged into dark water. _

_He couldn't see anything, he couldn't breath. He scratched uselessly at his surroundings, trying to stop his descend. It was in vain, he was falling down slowly as if to prolong his torture. He wanted to scream but no sound left him. There were voices around him, but he wasn't able to discern what was being said. His arms felt like lead- after a while he stopped fighting._

"_Itachi..."_

_He was being drowned- drowned in his guilt and hopelessness. _

"_Itachi!" _

_Suddenly he saw light appear- it was such a faint thing but he still could see it approaching. He felt reinvigorated. That light was hope._

_As he felt his strength return, he noticed the spark coming even faster to him. He grasped it gently once it was in his reach. _

_Warmth flooded him and he was able to breath again. It seemed to take shape and enveloped him like a bright thread, chasing away darkness._

_And then, his necklace started glowing. Itachi stared transfixed at it, as soft glow expanded and seemed to embrace him. Itachi smiled. He didn't need to look behind to know that it shaped himself into a figure of Namikaze Minato. _

"_It's alright." the apparition whispered into his ear. "I'll guide you." it assured him, taking hold of Itachi's left hand. _

_A golden string appeared from his necklace and snaked its way into the darkness, pointing him the road. _

_Itachi smiled and shook his head._

"_No. I know what I must do."_

_He closed his eyes._

* * *

Itachi opened his eyes. Minato stared at him for a moment before jumping into action. His own back was stiff from keeping the same position for prolonged time but he didn't care.

"Itachi." he called him, brushing away hair from the boy's eyes. Itachi blinked tiredly at him. Minato held his breath. "Do you know who I am?"

Itachi once again blinked. "Y-yes..." his voice was hoarse and raspy, "...Minato-san." he smiled softly at the boy, finally allowing tension to leave him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked reaching for a glass of water. He let Itachi sit up and gave him the glass. Itachi grasped it but his hold was weak and he nearly spilled everything. Minato was faster though and grabbed it, helping Itachi drink. He noticed the boy's hands were shaking.

Once he was done, he regarded the boy carefully. "You gave me quite a scare, you know. What happened?" Itachi frowned, apparently barely listening to him, as he looked in confusion at his trembling hands. "I don't know." he said, his mind obviously elsewhere. "I don't even know how I got here." He finally glanced around, inspecting the unfamiliar room.

"I brought you here, but it's not important right now." He clasped small hands with his own. They were still faintly shaking. "I need you to tell me what happened today. I've found you panicked in a middle of the night near Nakano River- I don't expect your parents took you there as a birthday present, did they?"

Itachi bit his lower lip. "I don't remember anything that happened after I left the yard..." he trailed off, perhaps realizing he had already said too much. He closed his eyes and seemed to curl into himself but Minato didn't let him. "Yes, the yard. What happened there? Please, Itachi." he added after meeting with Itachi's infamous silence. "Please, tell me, so I can help you."

Itachi nodded which caused Minato to wait patiently as the boy gathered his thoughts.

"I think..." he began hesitantly, "I think someone infiltrated the village."

Minato's mind may have blanked with shock. "_What?_"

Itachi looked down. "I know how it sounds. But it's the only conclusion that explains everything-"

"What everything?" Minato interrupted. "You should start from the beginning." When Itachi wavered, Namikaze reminded him gently: "You promised me that the next time we met, you would tell me everything, right?" Itachi smiled slightly and began speaking.

He told him everything. All about his training with his father, the night when he consciously used Sharingan in battle, about his birthday party, and Sora and that strange scene after he discovered Sora's body...

After he finished, Minato didn't say anything. He was silent through the whole tale, allowing Itachi to speak his mind.

The truth was, there wasn't much he could say.

He cleared his throat. "So, you think this cloaked person was the one who infiltrated the village." Itachi nodded. "Have you considered the option that this person could be an Uchiha?"

The boy grimaced. "I have but I don't believe it." he said firmly. Minato raised an eyebrow at that. "You said it yourself: he used your clan's technique and seems like is fairly good at genjutsu..." Itachi protested: "He seems to be working alone, outside the clan. He always appears when I'm alone and at night- if he was in the Clan- why would he bother to hide like that?"

Minato nodded. "I see... Wait, you said "always appears"? You mean you've met him more than once?" Itachi bit his lower lip. "Yes, kind of. It was before I learned to control my Sharingan but I'm sure it was him, hiding behind his raven-genjutsu. Or summon. Or whatever it is." Minato frowned at that. "Hm. He still may be an Uchiha, just a banished one." he muttered to himself.

_'But another question is: what's his objective? What could he possibly want with Itachi? It didn't add up. From what Itachi said, it really seems like Fugaku's and this man's agenda is not the same. But how could he just enter the Uchiha compound whenever he liked, not to mention Clan Head's house? There aren't many ninja capable of such feat. And passing through the village barrier...'_

An estranged Uchiha would have known how. He would have known how to pass the barrier, would have known his clan's weakness'. But Uchiha Clan hadn't banished anyone for years. It had become a small clan, they couldn't afford to loose their members so easily. Not even a marriage with a member of a Senju Clan would warrant such punishment.

The last person to be sent away (and even here it was unclear- some said he had left of his own accord) was Uchiha Madara and he had been dead for years.

_'Now, it's quite a mystery.' _

He smiled when he saw Itachi yawn.

"Get some sleep. I'll watch over you today." Itachi seemed to disagree. "No. I should come back before my parents notice I'm missing." Minato observed him carefully. "You don't want them to know, do you?"

Itachi sighed. "I... I don't think I trust them." he admitted quietly. "I-"

"You don't need to explain." Minato hugged him gently. Uchiha instantly relaxed. "You have me. And Kushina. And the village. You can trust us." Itachi hugged him back. "Thank you, Minato-san."

Namikaze laughed. "Hey, you don't need to thank me! It's nat-"

"No, I really do." he looked at the adult with earnest eyes. "Minato-san, I owe you my life. You can use it as you see fit. I will never refuse your order, Hokage-sama."

Minato looked at the child. _Really_ looked at him, deep into his soul and could see only truth.

"Please, don't say such things, Itachi. Not now." he explained quickly. "In a few years, when you graduate from Academy, you'll repeat this to me- the same words. And then I'll answer you properly. I'll say: "Nothing would please and honor me more than accepting your oath. Your life shall be mine, and mine- yours." He bowed his head. "But not now. Some things need to be said at the proper moment. Sometimes the sequence of events is more important than our feelings." He smiled gently. "Let's wait a few years."

Itachi smiled back.

"I will not disappoint you, Minato-san."

_'I'll not fail you.' _

* * *

23th July was not just any ordinary day. Perhaps it didn't include rainbows, shooting stars, tornado or solar eclipse, but when one took into account it was Konoha, where climate was pleasantly mild...

Let's say, it wasn't normal occurrence when temperature reached 40 degrees.

It was one of the hottest days of the summer and the only one in which Itachi had to keep himself from fainting from nervousness.

Finally, it was time for his younger sibling to come.

His mother was taken to hospital in Uchiha district. She was the most calm out of all three of them, which managed to ease Itachi's worries a little but not a lot. It was perhaps the first time he witnessed his father hovering over Mikoto with a expression that shouted "Help!".

Right now, the two Uchiha men were sitting outside the operating room with their only female member inside. Suddenly, the doors opened and a nurse stepped out. Fugaku got to his feet with poorly masked fear. Mikoto was brought in only twenty minutes ago- it couldn't have been finished already! Itachi's eyes widened.

The nurse showed his father a green uniform. "Sir, your wife is asking for you. Please, put this on." Fugaku turned to Itachi. He looked hesitant. "Itachi..." he swallowed. "You better not see this. Stay here." He followed the nurse inside, leaving his son sitting in the corridor.

Itachi rested his aching head on his knees. His mother and he had their differences in the past but it didn't mean he wasn't worried about her and the baby. He muffled a yawn that threatened to escape him- he hadn't been sleeping well and had been slightly on edge for the previous month which only probably made this even-

Was somebody smoking here?

He raised his head and looked to his left. He saw an old woman, very old woman, sitting on a bench in the corridor perpendicular to his. She seemed to be over hundred-years-old, dressed not in kimono but dark blue robes with a crimson sash tied on her obese stomach. And sure enough, she was holding in her right pudgy hand _kiseru, _blowing smoke without a care that she was in a hospital.

Her milky-black eyes were glued to Itachi.

Once she noticed Itachi was watching her, she smiled kindly at him and motioned him closer. With slight trepidation, young Uchiha did so.

She patted the empty place beside her and Itachi sat stiffly. She had a very unnerving stare.

"Ah, as I thought, it's young Itachi!" her voice was that of a long-time smoker- rough and hoarse. "You must forgive me for staring so rudely at you- in my age, those eyes are pretty useless."

Itachi tried to smile. "No, it's fine, really. I understand completely, ma'am." She nodded her head a few times as if she was mentally cataloging his response. She took a drag on her pipe and exhaled the smoke slowly. Surprisingly, she wielded her _kiseru_ with delicate grace, quite out of place with her age and stature.

"Do not worry." She said carefully, her eyes staring into space before her. Itachi didn't say anything to that, just waited for her to elaborate.

"Your mother is strong. She already gave birth to one Uchiha Heir. There's no reason to believe she won't survive this one." She tapped her pipe on the wooden bench-arm: ash fell on the hospital-floor. She promptly ignored it. "Besides, it's a good day to give birth to an Uchiha." The woman inhaled once again and exhaled through her nose. "Yes. It is a very good day." she said with satisfaction.

Itachi tilted his head in interest. "Why is that?"

"It's always good for an Uchiha to be born in summer, when Amaterasu is at her strongest. As I remember, all powerful Uchiha Clan Heads were born in summer..." she hesitated for a moment, "...save for one, but he was just an exception to the rule. Well, all parents plan for their children to be born at this time of the year- Amaterasu blesses her children with strong fire." She smiled thinly. "Oh, how those youngsters were twisting and turning to have a summer-child, _hee, hee_!" Her shrill laugh made Itachi's skin crawl. "So, don't worry. Your mother and brother are going to be fine."

The boy smiled crookedly. "Thank you for- Wait. _Brother_?" Itachi's eyes widened. "B-but how do you know?" His heart skipped a beat.

The woman smiled wryly. "Once you reach my age, certain things come to you easily. I did found this clinic, you know." she took another smoke. "Obstetrics has been my life. Well, among other _less_ morally acceptable activities." Her eyes glinted maliciously. Itachi backed away.

_'No wonder no one tells her it's forbidden to smoke in a hospital'_ the boy thought, eying the "No smoking allowed" sign above their heads.

"Um, so you remember how every Uchiha leader was born?"

"Well, I'm not _that_ old, you know. Though, I do remember the most important ones." She blew a white wisp of smoke towards the ceiling. Itachi thought he saw it take shape of a man with long spiky hair. He quickly snapped out of it.

"Do you remember mine?" he asked shyly.

Her milky eyes turned to him. "But of course! 9th June, five years ago." she once again tapped her pipe. "You were premature." Itachi looked surprised.

"I-I was?"

"You were born in your seventh month. Obviously your parents were planning for August, when Amaterasu's blessing is at its peak. But you decided to come early."

Itachi bit his lip. "Were there... any complications?"

She coughed. "Funny, you ask. There were none." She frowned. "I've never seen anything like it. It went against everything I believed in. Most children have immature lungs when they're born that early but yours were absolutely fine. Though, you could have been more lively- you just screamed enough to assure everyone you were alright and then fell asleep. That wasn't very polite." Itachi was beginning to wish he had never asked. "Not to mention you were born on a coldest day of the summer. Well, it was still warm of course- in my age you really don't take kindly to extreme temperatures- but the fact remains it was the only day with temperature below 20." She tsk-tsk'ed. "Your parents really miscalculated with your birth. Thankfully, this one was more carefully planned." She seemed to realize she may have said something hurtful and playfully slapped his shoulder. "Now, don't mind me, dear. That's just old midwife superstition talking. You've been growing into a fine young shinobi. There's still some work before you to measure up to _him_ but you're doing fine."

Itachi hid a wince. Despite her advanced age, she was quite strong. He inconspicuously massaged his right shoulder and asked: ""Him"?"

To his surprise, the woman _blushed_. "Uchiha Madara, of course." She looked dreamily at her _kiseru_. Itachi looked uncomfortable at this point. She looked downright _creepy_. "Now, _he_ was a man. The only one to be born in the middle of winter and make the world kneel at his feet. There's been so many tales about his birth that who knows which one's true? Some say he was born with black eyes instead of natural blue; some say he barely cried- instead he watched the world with cold, all-seeing stare or that during his birth snow turned to flames and burned half the forest down... As expected of a man who became a legend, I suppose."

Something inside Itachi wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the woman's claims. It was such an eerie experience- he was so sure of the foolishness of those stories that he felt a smile curl his lips upwards.

"Does it amuse you, dear?"

Itachi willed himself to calm down, even though he still had unexplainable urge to chuckle. _'What's wrong with me?'_

"No, ma'am. It's just... Did you ever meet him?"

"Met Uchiha Madara?" she sighed. "I was eight and he was already a leader of the Clan. Those were different times, of course. We, Uchiha, didn't understand his wisdom, back then." With surprise, Itachi recognized guilt in her voice. "We were all so foolish... And he knew what was best for us." She looked sharply at the boy. Her milky-black eyes shone. "I want to tell you you're like him but... You're different- your looks, your demeanor... But maybe at least your skills won't be a disappointment." She narrowed her eyes as she observed him. "Though there's something in you... The way you smiled just now, you perhaps resembled him a little..."

Itachi didn't have time to answer as a nurse opened the door to where his parents were. She looked around and seeing nobody, walked hurriedly down the corridor, Itachi thought, to search for him. His nervousness returned and he shakily got to his feet. He felt an old, feminine hand between his shoulder blades push him encouragingly forward. He stumbled and turned around.

But the woman wasn't there- smell of tobacco and ash on the floor were the only indication she had been there at all. Itachi let an uncharacteristic chuckle leave his lips, before he entered, unnoticed, the operating room. Or what he thought was an operating room- he first passed by a small atrium that led to a longer corridor, where he could see several people clad in green and pink uniforms ran about. He moved stealthily in their direction and then noticed _proper_ operating rooms. One in particular seemed to be an object for doctors' and nurses' focus. He sneaked in.

The first thing he noticed was a strong smell of blood. He couldn't see any- somebody had already cleaned up but the smell was persistent. Then he noticed his mother.

She was sitting on a operating table, covered by green material. She looked tired, practically exhausted but...

She was smiling. It was such an easy and satisfied smile that for a moment Itachi gaped at her, wondering if she was real. And next to her was his father, his arm around his wife's shoulders, gently supporting her and so obviously very _happy_. Itachi had seen his father smile, _truly_ smile, once but it was nothing like this. He saw him kiss Mikoto's forehead and it was so painfully gentle that Itachi felt tears gather in his eyes. He swallowed heavily and moved closer to the pair. No one paid him any attention, for which he was grateful.

And there, amidst all this commotion, secure in his mother's arms laid his younger sibling.

His little brother.

"Sasuke."

* * *

_**A/N: **_Hi, there. Wow, I'm on a roll! 20 pages? Will that become a standard? Um... Anyway, thank you all for reading and for the reviews (I really have no words for you- you're all wonderful!) and let's get to the point:

1. _Cras_- Latin for "tomorrow". Ravens really can "cackle" like that.

2. About this Uchiha-summer-thing: besides Sasuke and Itachi, both their parents were born during summer: Mikoto in June and Fugaku in August. Which leads us to number...

3. Amaterasu- in other words goddess of the sun and universe. Her full name is "the great **august** kami (god) who shines in the heaven" (yes, I know it's supposed to mean "majestic" but come on, I just couldn't resist). It's actually funny when you realize that Fugaku was born in August and both his children weren't but became stronger than him. It's doubly funny because Madara was born in December and well... He's _motherfucking_ Madara, what more do you need? Oh, how I love superstitions I myself create! (*cackles madly*)

4. "Prodigy" is also an archaic word of "omen". And it can mean "something abnormal", "monstrous". That's... kinda dark.

5. About Hyuuga Hitomi- _augh_, it's not my fault Kishi doesn't give names to his females (and doesn't mention them in _the fucking story_!). Hitomi means "beautiful eyes". If you watch anime, Hinata says she wants to be "kind like her mother" so I just ran with it.

6. Eh, Kishi, Kishi. Only you can write a battle sequence where your character talks exposition with others in his head. Let's say, I have mixed feelings about this...

7. Kiseru- Japanese smoking pipe. Wikipedia ahoy! And that old crone was just somebody, I don't know who. Uchiha Clan has really creepy old people (* totally ignores the fact that she created them herself*)

(/rant)I just watched newest anime episode with Kushina and Minato flashbacks. I won't lie, I literally cringed when Kushina announced to Minato her pregnancy. I mean... _Who talks like that?_ (/end rant)

So, Sasu-chan is here and that means we have like two-three chapters more? Something like that. The next chapter will revolve mainly around Minato because he's awesome like that. I've no idea when I'm going to update but I can promise my best!

See ya!


	18. Weakness

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. The quote you'll find here is from a poem by Polish writer Zbigniew Herbert (shameless advertisement)_

_I'm so terribly sorry for the long wait but this chapter was heavy. In other words, it's a Chapter-Where-Everybody-Talks-Exposition-Because-Greys-Has-An-Obsession-With-Politics  
_

_Read&Enjoy&Review  
_

* * *

Chapter Eighteen: Weakness

Contrary to popular belief, secret ninja scrolls weren't the most important of all the items that were held in Hokage Tower. It'd be more accurate to say, the common knowledge that they _were_ there, allowed to hide something much more valuable.

There were many secrets in Hokage Tower. Private Library was only one of them but it stored an object most significant of all.

Information.

More specifically- information on each Hokage's reign. Anyone appointed Hokage was expected to keep records from his or her time in office. It wasn't a duty- more like a tradition that started with Shodaime and was later continued by his brother. All the same, whether it was something mundane or crucial, it was written down. After all, you never know which detail would become important in a grand scheme of things…

That was how Minato saw it, anyway.

Which could explain his current frustration at the fact that he had found absolutely nothing of importance.

He ran a hand through his hair angrily. He was sitting on the floor in the aforementioned Library, nearly banging his head on the wall behind him. Only because he knew from previous experience (he had spent ungodly amount of time there, after all) that it would only increase his headache which in turn would lower his chances of finding anything important to zero, he held himself back.

When he had first stepped foot in this place (almost what? Two, three months ago?), he had had high expectations. He had thought all he would have to do was to skim over Sandaime's notes and that whole mess with Uchiha Clan would miraculously start making sense. Sure, he could have just asked Sarutobi about it, but he was also certain the old man wouldn't have given him a straight answer. He already thought he was being prejudiced against them- it was no use outright asking him. But his records and notes couldn't lie. He had thought (well, technically he still thought that) he would find in them confirmation for his thesis that a rogue member of the Uchiha Clan was planning on pulling apart the clan from the village- perhaps even starting a rebellion against it. He wasn't sure which piece Fugaku played in this plan but he knew one thing- that person had to be stopped. He wasn't a fool- he was aware that if a powerful clan like Uchiha defected from Konoha, the whole world would be plunged into another war. Of course, Minato was also certain they weren't yet ready- their strongest piece was still too young to lead them to victory. But in a few years… Yes, Uchiha probably could envision Itachi as their future leader or whatever they saw him as. It was all hypothetical obviously but it was in Minato's job description to prepare for a worst case scenarios- "Foresee the unforeseeable" or some shit. The problem remained- who the mysterious person was and what was their goal? If he could find the answer for those two questions, he would know everything else.

That was why he had started first with Sandaime's records- he was searching for a relatively young Uchiha, after all.

Apparently, that was his first mistake.

Sarutobi's notes were written in almost pathologically emotionless style. They resembled more a clinical report than anything. Furthermore, he had used an unholy number of abbreviations and codenames which made the whole thing nearly incomprehensible.

_Nearly_, because Minato was a damn genius and with due time was capable of breaking any code presented to him. It was just so… _annoying_.

Not to mention, he had had to use knowledge he acquired during his private (read: when they both were thoroughly wasted) talks with Sarutobi- otherwise he would have had no hope of actually cracking the code. He was suddenly very glad for Sandaime's stories about Kage Summits…

Be as it may, for all his trouble he had gotten absolutely nothing. Which had caused him to move on to the next Hokage in line- Nidaime.

It had taken him a few hours to pick up his jaw from the floor when, instead of normal kind-of-a journal he had expected, he had found a retelling of Tobirama's sexual exploits. It had taken him two days to realize it was just a cryptograph. It had taken him _several_ to decode that paranoid-son-of-a-

_Khem_.

Minato snapped the book shut. He rubbed his bloodshot eyes. While he thought Tobirama's notes informative and much more helpful than Sarutobi's, he still didn't find what he was looking for. It frustrated him that he had wasted so much time on it. When it came time for him to leave his records to his successor, he was going to seal a little of his consciousness in a book- much more practical. Slightly disheartened, he picked up a thick leather-bound volume which was Senju Hashirama's records.

He blinked. It was times like this that he truly realized the passage of time between his predecessor and himself. Shodaime used parchment which felt strange under fingers that were used to paper. What drew his attention was a quote on the very first page:

"_[…] go upright among those who are on their knees _

_among those with their backs turned and those toppled in the dust _

_you were saved not in order to live _

_you have little time you must give testimony _

_be courageous when the mind deceives you be courageous _

_in the final account only this is important[…]" _

'_Hm. Interesting.'_ He thought. Honestly, he never pictured Shodaime as a poetry kind of person, but then again not much was known about his private life. During Minato's Academy years, all he was taught was how brilliant and revolutionary Hashirama had been. No one divulged any information on how exactly had he achieved that.

Now that Namikaze thought of it, he wasn't even sure he knew how Shodaime died. He was certain it had happened in battle after Konoha's founding, however details were really difficult to come by. Maybe he should research that as well… But after he sorted this current mess.

He turned the page.

Minato frowned as he studied the text. There wasn't any code he could see, not even quirky nicknames that could throw him off. As anything, it read like a simple journal.

'_Finally, someone not caring about protocol.'_ Which made him think that the whole idea of describing each Hokage's reign had been Tobirama's baby all along. Nevertheless, it would probably still take him several hours to get through it, even without deciphering various codes. It helped that Minato was a fast reader but…

He cracked his neck lazily. Armed with nothing but a cup of rapidly cooling espresso and a not-really-comfortable scrap of wall, he began to read.

The text was divided into respective chapters not based on date but rather content. It was more a compiled analysis of various aspects in Hashirama's life. He had written at length about his family, war, Konoha and more. The style was light, pleasant to read and Minato was soon drawn to the book even if at times he shook his head at some naïve thoughts the older Senju had written.

The sun set long ago when Minato tiredly, already near the end, turned the worn page.

He had to blink several times to assure himself it wasn't some strange hallucination his mind decided to play on him.

The next page was blank.

And the next. _And the next ten_.

'_Impossible.'_ Minato thought instantly- half in desperation, half in shock. _'It just can't be all! What about his famous fight with Madara?! For all that's holy, didn't he think it important to include at least a passing reference?! He wrote twenty pages on his granddaughter's fixations with butterflies but couldn't be bothered to add a comment on Konoha's founding politics?!'_

He never took failure well.

He was prepared to throw the damn book across the room and listen to the satisfied 'thunk' it would make on the opposite wall.

With a heavy sigh, he lowered his arm. This time he used both hands to push his hair out of his face. He was so tired… He hadn't seen Kushina in what he thought was months. He tried in vain to stifle the feeling of guilt at the fact he had left his pregnant fiancée alone. She understood of course. She always did.

It didn't help.

The least he could do was not to let her down. He frowned as he held out the book to the light. He narrowed his eyes and once again opened it. He glanced critically at the blank pages.

'_Hm. Well, that's interesting.'_ He thought, inspecting the few remaining pages. His first assessment had been that they were blank. But it was more than that.

They were spotless.

Contrary to previous pages, there was no stain, no ink mark, _nothing really_, on them. Moreover, Minato noticed a tiny drawing in the corner- a circle with strange lettering.

If he was any other person, he would have thought nothing of it. But he was Namikaze Minato who also happened to be well-acquainted with certain Uzumaki, whose clan was famous for its sealing jutsu. He recognized a seal when he saw one.

He laughed ruefully. "Those Uzumaki women are really something. Eh, Shodaime-sama?"

And with that, he slapped his hand on the blank pages.

The book glowed with soft blue light before black kana appeared on the parchment. It looked as if someone invisible just started writing them smoothly down. Soon, the letters stopped and what Minato saw made him smile widely.

"_Of Uchiha."_ read the title.

Minato smirked.

"_The first time I heard the name Uchiha, I was fifteen. Senju were already well-known as the most versatile and dangerous of all clans on the Continent. It was said we had no equal. There was no mission we couldn't successfully complete._

_And then they appeared. _

_It started with rumors, nothing really substantial. And then, Toka's father returned from simple assassination mission in Fire Country with half of his men dead, the other half- wounded. _

"_Wightes", he called them. Red-eyed demons that breathed fire and drank blood to gain their ocular power. _

_I heard people describe shinobi in that way. But they were just civilians for whom any contact with a ninja was like meeting with a plague in human form. But a shinobi should know better._

_In the end, we were both right._

_I was properly introduced to them a year later. By then, the Uchiha name became famous. Suddenly, we didn't complete our mission as quickly or as easily as before. Suddenly, scrolls we were paid to obtain disappeared before we even got there, people who we were ordered to kill- survived._

_Suddenly, we had a rival. _

_Senju leaders reacted in a way that was appropriate in the current situation- they panicked. They were so used to being the indisputable best, they grew afraid of ever becoming something less. _

_I didn't care. I always treated being a ninja as a job not a lifestyle. Shinobi world wasn't the only one I knew and maybe that's why I was able to think clearly and objectively about it. There was so much more to this world than shinobi code. _

_They began to press me and Tobirama to develop our skills but it was unneeded. We both exceeded their expectations long ago. They had nothing more to teach us in terms of techniques- they were only better than us in battle experience and clan politics and we were rapidly closing the distance in terms of the first one. _

_I became their leader at sixteen. While everybody knew I could manage the responsibility, there was a major reason why I was chosen so quickly._

_Uchiha Clan's leader was also sixteen. _

_The elders decided they needed someone fresh, someone of the younger generation to battle against this new threat that was the Uchiha. _

_I agreed. It was the best decision they could make. I wasn't scared of them or their leader. I can honestly say, even during my friendship with Madara, I was never afraid of him. _

_Afraid for him, well, that's a different story._

_But I didn't know yet my path. I was young and independent and could command thousand of men with just a flick of my wrist. I quickly reassembled our clan and chose the elite few who I tasked with gathering intelligence against the Uchiha._

_Soon, I got his name. _

"_Uchiha Madara."_

_It was a start. _

_Our meeting was inevitable. _

_I didn't know his face back then, but the moment I arrived on our chosen battleground, I instantly recognized him. He stood calmly amidst our fighting kinsmen, dressed in kimono without armor. He carried a wide fan and kusarigama which surprised me slightly- somehow, in my mind he always used katana. But the impression of him I had upon seeing him that first time, will haunt me in years to come. _

"_A perfect anthropomorphic personification of war"- that was how I saw him. Uchiha Madara, with his wild long hair and blood-red eyes could only be called thus. _

_In that moment I understood, even if I didn't agree, why my men called him a demon._

_Our eyes locked. It should have been impossible due to distance and flying dust but for some unexplainable reason I was acutely aware of his every move. _

_The look in his eyes was terrible. His smirk was even worse. _

_We weren't aware of the battle that surrounded us. Everything might have as well ceased to exist. _

_And suddenly we both ran to each other, our weapons ready. _

_Neither of us used our respective signature jutsu. I didn't use Moukuton, Madara didn't activate his Sharingan. We were just two men, fighting with our fists and blades. _

_For the first time, I felt excitement during a fight._

_I never let my guard down to experience such a thing. It was foreign for me to feel bloodlust or even something as simple as satisfaction after a victory. But not then. Not with Madara. _

_He always brought the best and worst in me. _

_A sound of a horn broke our fight. The Uchiha were retreating. Later, I will wonder if it wasn't a subtle foreshadowing of our common future. _

_The look in Madara's face when he watched them was chilling. _

_Writing this down, I realize how many signals I ignored. How young and naïve I was..._

_But I was also sixteen and for the first time I thought I found an alike soul. _

_Oh, how many times we found each other, how many times we fought, completely forgetting the world around us... How many times I pestered Tobirama for another spar, frustrated he couldn't measure up to his standards, perfecting my techniques, growing furious when some stray Uchiha engaged me in battle when I could be battling Madara... _

_It wasn't until Tobirama's words, spoken teasingly, finally made me question my sanity:_

"_You know what normal people call it? "Socializing"!"_

_My brother is a pragmatic. He is better suited for shinobi life that I am. He didn't realize that those simple words, caused me to finally grasp what was wrong with our lives. What was wrong with the ninja world. _

_Madara was the closest thing I had to a real friend- a mortal enemy. _

_I was eighteen. Perhaps it wouldn't have worked if I wasn't one foot in that foolish age of dreams and crazy ideas. But I had a plan and, for the first time, I felt I could make the world right instead of sitting down and accepting the status quo. _

_I started spending more time with Mito, to whom I was engaged. Our marriage was arranged at our births but if I were to picture my future wife, she would have always had Mito's face. _

_She was a scholar, not a shinobi, and her opinion gave me wider perspective. I shared my plans with her and together we worked how to achieve it. Instead of fists, we battled with our wits. It was a different kind of fighting than the one I shared with Madara._

_Of course, then I didn't know what "battling wits" with Madara actually meant. _

_During that time, I rarely took part in battles, instead preferring to perfect my project of "One Country- One Village". I wished for Uchiha Clan to join it and I knew that their leader would settle for nothing but the best. _

_And when finally it was finished, feeling very much like a student before his first exam, I sent an emissary with a proposition of a union between our clans and a short summary of my project that would revolutionize the ninja world. _

_It was a complete failure. _

_The emissary returned without a written reply but the look on his face said enough. I was furious. I made trees grow just to make them die. I was angry Madara rejected my offer. That perhaps I didn't know him like I thought I did. Which was true, of course. We hardly could talk about our favorite colors when fighting for our lives. But I was too hurt to think rationally. I appointed Tobirama as a temporary leader and left the hideout for a few hours to get myself under control. _

_After I returned, I once again summoned the emissary. I gave him one piece of paper, neatly folded in two. I told him: "It's for Master Madara's eyes only." _

_I didn't wait for a reply. I instantly set off for the battlefield we had first fought on. I knew he'd be there. _

_He didn't disappoint me. Only an hour after I arrived I saw his unmistakable silhouette approach from the darkness. In the moonlight I could clearly see his grinning face. He casually twirled his fan before he slammed it against the ground. _

"_I never thought of you as sentimental." he said. I was taken-aback. We had never spoken before and it was the first time I heard his normal-speaking voice. I didn't expect it to be so... smooth. So... normal._

_However, it didn't cause me to forget my purpose of coming there. He supposed I had asked him for a fight. That was a far cry from truth._

"_I'm not here to fight you." I said gently. Madara's expression hardened for an instant before he theatrically rolled his eyes and flicked his hair. _

_He so loved to act melodramatic._

"_How benevolent of you. But I have an idea- you bring out your katana, I ready my fan and let our instincts do all the work for us, hm?" I noticed there was something different about him. Perhaps the way he walked or the way he smiled- I realized with a small pang of worry that he had changed._

_I didn't find out about his brother until much later. _

_But back then, I knew nothing of his brother's death or his part in it. I simply held out my hands in surrender and said firmly: "I'm unarmed." It made him tilt his head in curiosity but in the end he grinned and walked soundlessly towards me. _

"_What a... surprise. I wonder, how much I will be paid by my clients if I bring them the Great Senju Hashirama's head?" He was still slowly walking towards me, his eyes glinting maliciously._

_I wasn't fooled. I knew him too well._

"_Would you do that? I see... And what stories will be told about my defeat? Killing an unarmed man-"_

"_There's no honor in our world." Madara hurriedly interrupted. _

"_There isn't." I agreed. "But what about your fame? Your reputation? I know you, Madara." I said softly, without mockery or triumph. He only sneered at me when he passed inches away to sit on a flat rock behind me. He looked like shaggy overgrown cat. He didn't look at me but instead choose to observe the stars above us. _

"_So... Is there any particular reason you wanted to see me or is this some Senju custom I'm unaware of?" he asked, feigning interest._

"_You know why." _

"_No, I don't." he singsonged brightly, which caused me to bit my lip to stop a curse from escaping._

"_You know very well why. We could build something new, explore unknown territory... We could unite all those rallying clans and create a state, eventually stop the war. Don't you think it's worth the trouble?"_

_There was a slight pause before Madara's neutral reply reached me._

"_Tsukuyomi is bright tonight."_

_I was glad he couldn't see my face then. In that moment I was ready to throttle him. "What-" _

"_It's a metaphor." He rolled his eyes in exasperation, still not glancing in my direction. "Ridiculousness of your idea made me realize your asininity and sheer lunacy. Or, if you prefer in simpler words: it sucks." he smirked at the sky, drawling the last words with an air of a man watching an ant get squished. He still didn't deem me worthy of his full attention, an action he made sure I noticed. _

_That was always the problem with Madara- he set high standards and if someone didn't meet them- he treated them with disregard. I learned he did it unconsciously, brought by his environment but also, unfortunately, his own arrogance. It was one of his many faults which made it impossible for him to become Hokage._

_But then I was feeling indignant and offended._

"_Obviously, I mistakenly believed your intelligence level to be higher than average human norm. How disappointing." That did the trick. Madara looked sharply at me and smiled in satisfaction. _

"_Now, that's more like it. I was beginning to worry you lost your edge- what with your idealistic world peace project and all."_

_For a moment I didn't understand what he meant by that. "World peace? I don't believe I mentioned that in my letter..."_

"_Please." Madara's left eyebrow raised in disbelief. "False obliviousness doesn't become you. If you try to form those village of yours, don't you think other clans would start doing the exact same? Any edge you may have gained by that move would swiftly disappear- because everybody would want to form a village of their own. And, oh, what was your argument that the Uchiha should join your union?" here Madara straightened his back and started talking in a very plausible imitation of my voice if slightly pompous sounding: "It would be beneficial to both our clans if the Uchiha were to join the Senju to create the first Shinobi Union." He dropped the act and continued in acidic tone: "Any benefits we gain, would be temporary. Not to mention, how exactly do you see us resolving a controversial problem? Peacefully? I don't think!" _

"_We wouldn't be the only clans who formed this union." At that, Madara grew visibly angry. He was never good at hiding his emotions. _

"_Oh, so you invited others too? Didn't expect the Great Noble Hashirama Senju to play with my feelings so cruelly." His eyes narrowed. "And what other clans are we talking about?" I was acutely aware our conversation wasn't heading in the direction I wanted. But like every battle with Madara, this one as well filled me with excitement. _

"_Yamanaka, Nara, Inuzuka... Hyuuga..." He rolled his eyes at the last name and shot back: "In other words: weaklings. What will happen when that village of yours starts having problems? What if another war breaks out? How many of these clans will stand by you then? How many will actually help you?" He stood up lazily and stalked towards me, stop__ping only when our faces were inches away. "Are you so naïve to trust their loyalty?" We met eyes in a silent challenge. I wasn't intimidated. _

"_They will follow the right leader." _

"_And who's that? You?" he leaned back and laughed but soon his expression became intense. It was my turn to smirk. Slowly, I prepared my own trap- Madara was too long in control of this conversation. _

"_Oh, I don't know about that. The leader will be democratically elected." I ignored Madara's snort. I knew what to say. "But that's not what you care about, is it? You don't care about peace because you know it's temporary so why bother changing the unchangeable?" Madara kept smirking but I knew I had his full attention. I lowered my voice to a whisper: "Now though, you're in a cage. How many clans have you fought with? Yes, your name is famous but how many actually tremble when hearing it? How many have seen you fight? Aren't they the ones occupying the Fire Country like us?" His eyes narrowed but he said nothing to that. It was all truth though- very rarely we were assigned a job in distant countries like Lightening or Wind. Even Earth wasn't as popular compared to nowadays. "Isn't that just unacceptable? Don't you want the whole world to know you? Don't you want the world to recognize you... and your clan?" I watched him carefully as he swallowed heavily. So many signs I missed... I should have walked out on him and never looked back. But I didn't care. All that mattered for me was Madara's agreement. I was prepared to use any means necessary. "All those clans you've defeated- we will form a union with them. And you're right- others will follow our example. But that's just as well. Together, we will be able to expand, we will be able to reach beyond the desert, the mountains and the sea. With Fire Country as our base of operation, we will be able to move anywhere we like and no one will stop us. But it's only possible if we unite. We will gain necessary resources and money to make it true." I paused in my speech to observe him. He wasn't looking at me but this time his eyes flashed with concentration. I continued, elated by his reaction. "Don't you think it's worth the effort?" He closed his eyes. I noticed how tense he was but patiently waited for his response. Soon, he gave me one._

"_Why Uchiha?" it was nothing more than a whisper. It was the first time I thought I detected vulnerability in Madara. In that moment, he seemed painfully unsure. _

_The problem was I couldn't answer that question truthfully. I was young not insane._

_I regret that decision now, after everything that happened. Perhaps, I should have told him. Perhaps I should have admitted that the main reason I wanted him to join me was because I considered him my friend. Not in that moment obviously- he would have never believed me, but later- after we founded Konoha. The answer I gave was unsatisfactory and sounded hollow even to me: _

"_You're the strongest clan on this part of the Continent. Isn't it reasonable to seek your favor?" His eyes watched me suspiciously. I wonder if he knew I lied..._

"_I'll think about it." he said turning away from me. He picked his weapons and with practiced move strapped them to his back. I noticed his hand rested on the fan's handle a second too long to consider it casual but ultimately he dropped it. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye. I met his look without hesitation. _

_He was the first to turn away. Without another word, he disappeared into the night._

_Two days later, I sat opposite of him, with our clan elders discussing arrangements of the union. Finally, the winds were blowing my way. We spent weeks discussing the details- no one else was needed, just me and Madara. It was exhilarating to have someone equal, someone who could challenge me. Even if that someone was terribly moody with penchant to violence. I came up with the village name, he designed the symbol. It was, in the truest sense of the world, our village. _

_When did it start going sour? _

_Shortly before my marriage with Mito._

_Madara thought I spent too much time on frivolities. He believed I wasn't sufficiently dedicated. After my wedding, it got worse. _

_Both of us were used to resolving our differences on the battlefield. Obviously, it was out of the question at that particular time. We settled for verbal arguments that normally expanded into a full-blown tirades. Tobirama called it lover's spats which in the end resulted in him developing Edo Tensei- just in case if one of those stray kunai thrown either by me or Madara eventually found their mark. Mito opted wisely to keep out of our fights, however I often caught her worried look. She and Madara never got along- she put up with him only out of respect for me. I at least had to thank her for not fueling our conflicts more. _

_Hokage elections were quintessence. Madara wasn't molded for Hokage. He was a warrior through and through- he lived and breathed for war. No one knew this better than his clan. _

_I never forgave them for letting him down. _

_For someone like me who praises loyalty above all it was unimaginable- that's why I will never trust them. Once a traitor, always a traitor. But I couldn't fool myself- I realize it was more personal than I tried to pretend. Because they betrayed my friend- I never forgot it. _

_Madara wanted to see me the night before the official results. He already knew he lost. When I arrived, this time it was him waiting for me. He wore his armor, which he usually used during formal meetings. His weapons laid by his side. _

_Silence stretched uncomfortably between us. For the first time, I didn't know what to say to him. Ultimately, I cleared my throat pointedly and asked: "You wanted to see me?"_

_He didn't answer. His face was shielded by his long hair which I'm sure was on purpose. Finally, he said with a suspiciously controlled voice: "What duties do you have for me, Hokage-sama?" I remember how absolutely floored I was by that question. Madara never... He never talked to me __like that. I remember trying to reason with him, trying to explain that nothing changed, we're still friends, right? _

_I don't know who I was trying to convince._

_Madara, like the first time we talked, walked slowly towards me but this time I could see how impossibly tense and rigid he was. His face, unseen before, showed no emotion. Only his eyes flashed with so many raw feelings that I couldn't bear his stare. He stopped. "If you have none, I will take my leave, Hokage-sama."_

_He made as if to turn away but I caught his hand in a tight grip. He looked at me with slight surprise. "Madara, don't... Don't leave yet. We have... We have so many plans, don't we? Like the one with Bijuu... We captured all of them save for Kyuubi... Please, don't throw it all away because of such trifle thing!" Madara seemed to consider my words carefully but I knew something was not right- the look in his eyes was so unhinged... "Yes. We are yet to capture the Fox... I will leave immediately then, Hokage-sama." He bowed his head. 'Don't mock me!' I wanted to scream but I held myself back. I swallowed heavily and released his hand. "Madara, if that's your wish... Of course you may go." It seemed he didn't need anything else. He quickly gathered his weapons and disappeared into the dark._

_I wasn't surprised when a week later, Kyuubi went on a rampage on the borders of the Fire Country. I gathered my armor and weapons. Mito stopped me before I could leave. She was furious. "You will deal with him without mercy. Do you understand that?" I answered her: "I don't need you to tell me-" "Yes I do!" she outright screamed at me. "You need me to tell you what has to be done! Madara is your friend against all common sense. Now, he's bent on destroying what you both created with so much effort." She gripped my hands with her soft ones. "I'm asking you to be his friend and put a stop to his madness. Let him die with dignity." For all her dislike of Madara she seemed to know him quite well. "Don't forget who you are. You're responsible for all our lives. You are Hokage-sama. You don't have a luxury of being selfish." In that moment I hated her for those harsh words. _

_And I loved her more than ever for reminding me who I became. For reminding me that it was Madara and me who founded Konoha and it was my duty to protect our legacy. Even if one of its parents wanted to destroy it. I smiled at her: "That was a good speech- short and to the point." She bit her lower lip- Mito was never expressive with her emotions. "I'm a scholar- long-winded speeches are not for me." I snorted lightly but grew serious. "He has Kyuubi." She frowned and looked deep into my eyes. After a second she nodded. "I'll be ready. And don't worry." she put her finger on my lips when I started to protest. "Trust the woman you married. I'll find you." _

_I needed her reassurance- only that gave me courage to face Madara. I found him on the opposite riverbank that marked the border of the Fire Country. He watched with obvious enjoyment how Kyuubi was destroying the landscape around us. _

"_Beautiful, isn't it?" he called to me, not even turning away from the rampaging beast. I felt sick. I noticed remains of civilian settlements that used to decorate the border. I preferred to think that people who lived there managed to escape. "You know why I am here. Stand up." I heard his bitter laugh. "Such a hurry. Eager to kill little old me?" Nevertheless, he faced me. _

"_How did it come to this?" I muttered under my breath. He heard me. "Hm, I wonder." he said sarcastically. "You know, I thought you were like me- powerful enough to take the world and shape it to your wishes. I never expected for you to become a filthy COWARD!" All pretenses of calm was gone, replaced by naked fury. _

"_You, with your false smiles and poisonous words... You wasted your potential and gained nothing!" _

"_Nothing?!" I couldn't help but ask incredulously. "Stability and unification of Fire Country's clans you call nothing?!" _

"_And how many of your new allies are willing to stab you in the back?" _

"_You mean like you?" I responded coldly. _

_His eyes widened but then a satisfied smile nearly split his face. "__Yes. Exactly like me. And you never suspected, did you? You blind naïve fool-" "Enough!" I ordered. In a way, I felt relieved- I could honestly say talking him out of it was useless. My feelings were irrelevant. I was the First Hokage Senju Hashirama. It w__as time for me to act like one._

_This time neither of us held back. I rarely used more than one sword when fighting him. This time, to counter his flying kusarigama and fan, I used at least six. I didn't forget about rampaging Kyuubi but truthfully, Madara kept me occupied. I barely managed to dodge his Katon and my Mokouton nearly cost him his left eye. I lost my katana, Madara managed to hold only onto his fan. I seized my chance as he ran on top of water and slammed my hand on the ground to activate my Wood jutsu. Several branches rose from the ground and reached for his limbs but Madara was quicker. A combination of his gunbai and his signature Katon utterly destroyed all of them. I didn't waste time- I used Earth justu and caused a mudslide. It was only a prelude to what I had in store for him. As he was regaining his footing, I prepared another special earth jutsu of mine. This one literally split the earth._

_I hoped it would end the fight right there. But as always, Madara had different plans. _

_As my Earth Flow Divide technique activated, walls of rock rose around him, effectively trapping him in between the chasm. I prepared my Wood jutsu to trap Madara there but in that moment I saw him high in the air, above the surrounding rock, riding a strong current of water, propelled by it. Judging by the amount of water, he had to use it from the underground rivers as the original one never carried this much. Neither of us wanted to back down- a water whip missed my left ankle by the inches and earth clones in vain tried to subdue him. That was when the ground started shaking. _

_The chasm I created deepened even more and the rocky structure started falling apart, becoming an avalanche. I barely managed to keep myself from falling down, even though I stood a long distance from it. But Madara was in epicenter and while the quake couldn't last more than few seconds, it was enough. I watched as if in slow motion as he tumbled down the crack and out of sight. I screamed his name as I ran to him, filled with unquestionable fear. _

_And completely unneeded when I saw a giant hand appear and pull the glowing corpus safely on the hard ground. I breathed in wonder: "Susano-o.". I couldn't marvel at the sight. He threw at me a string of magatama- I wasn't quick enough- I felt it cut open my right hand. I bit my lip to keep from crying out as pain assaulted my senses. It only grazed me but this kind of weapon was designed to subdue Spirits and Tailed Beasts not humans- even a small touch was capable of breaking bones. I rolled to the ground when it flew over my head, cutting through the forest as it returned to its master. I quickly disappeared behind a wall of trees to inspect the damage done to my arm. The muscle was torn but humerus remained intact. Thankfully, I could heal it without weaving seals but I needed time to properly mend it. I knew of only one way of stopping him._

_My Genjutsu: Bringer of Darkness. _

_I promised myself I'd never use it against Madara. But circumstances changed and I knew I had to do everything in my power to stop him. It was the only promise I'll ever break. _

_He always brought the best and worst in me._

_I jumped out from my hiding place- and just in time as the Kyuubi decided in that very moment to utterly destroy it. With only one swing of its tail, nothing was left. Irritated, I send several branches to weave around the Beast's mouth and turned my attention to the much greater danger. I had to narrowly dodge Amaterasu flames but finally I had him in my line of sight._

_I activated the technique. I didn't expect Madara's cry of anguish to be that heart-wrenching. He was on his knees, hands pulling at his hair as he screamed helplessly in anger and fear. Half-formed Susano-o was dissipating from his hunched form. I swallowed as I looked down at him- this genjutsu robbed a person of their sight- it was a perfect weapon against Uchiha. Blocking his cries from my heart, I placed my newly healed hand on his shoulder to activate a contact seal Mito taught me. I felt his control over Kyuubi disappear but that still left me with a rampaging Bijuu. I concentrated my Mokouton on it and soon the Fox was subdued. I breathed a sigh of relief._

_Too soon._

_If there was one person in the entire world that could be broken by this genjutsu, it was Madara. _

_If there was one person in the entire world that could escape from it, it was Madara._

_I saw a movement out of corner of my eye but I didn't dodge his fan in time. The weapon hit the right side of my head and tore open skin above my eye. I reeled away from him to see Madara get up, slowly, chest-heaving. His face was twisted into expression of such hatred I had to take a step back. "You..." he hissed. "You..." He didn't finish but launched himself at me, swinging his gunbai at my side. I blocked it with my kunai and managed to dislodge it from his hand. He still suffered after-effects of my genjutsu. I kicked him in the stomach and he retaliated with Amaterasu. I jumped away from him instantly. Madara used the black flames to form a blazing tornado. I hurriedly made sign for the most powerful Water technique I knew, calling upon the surrounding water. We attacked at the same time. _

_The resulting explosion of raw chakra threw me back a long distance. I covered myself when scrolls, weapons, even uprooted trees flew above me. I must have lost consciousness because when I came to, I was buried under a thick layer of ground and branches. I painfully pulled myself out, wincing as my broken ribs protested the movement. And then I blinked._

_It was dawning. _

_And I could clearly see the damage we both wrecked on our surroundings. Waterfall definitely didn't exist before our fight. Now I've heard they want to erect statues of me and Madara there. I'm really not sure how to feel about that._

_Back then, I remember looking frantically for Kyuubi and feeling relief when I noticed he was still safely restrained. And Madara... _

_Madara was standing at the edge of the newly-created waterfall, looking at the rising sun. I stumbled towards him and he turned to face me._

_I couldn't read the expression he wore. Though, he did look almost as bad as I felt. _

_I tried once again to reason with him: "We don't have to do this. We can return to Konoha, together." I emphasized the last word. There was no reaction. "I am Hokage- if I vouch for you, they will accept you." That caused him to laugh. It was painful and soon resembled coughing but he still had trouble stifling it. He shook his head. _

"_Ah, yes. It will be puppies and kittens once more." He smirked. "I hope this starry-eyed optimism of yours carries down your line. I'm sure my descendants will have as much fun shooting it down as I have. Now, shall we continue, Hashirama?" My smile made him frown. Good. For some reason he was acting too cocky. "So sure of your win?" "No." I laughed. "I'm happy. You used my name and not my title. I'm glad." He blinked and then his expression turned sour. He angrily picked up the first weapon he found._

_It was my katana. _

_He looked bemused but experimentally waved it around. "Could be worse." I heard him mutter. He __looked expectantly at me. I grasped a handle I saw sticking out from under the debris and pulled. _

_It was his kusarigama. _

_It caused him to laugh once again. "Oh, the irony, Hashi! Sweet irony!" We faced each other. _

_Everything was happening in slow-motion. I saw him take a swing and I aimed to block it with the handle... But then the pain from my broken ribs flared and the kusarigama rolled in my grip and sliced his right arm. Blood rushed from the deep wound and Madara nimbly switched my katana to his left hand and I knew his hit would be fatal, he could freely attack my unprotected side... My instincts acted quickly and soon the blade of his weapon slid under his right shoulder blade and lodged itself into his lung. _

_He froze, his face inches away from my own._

_We both stood still for a minute, frozen with shock. I reacted first, dislodging the weapon and wrapping him in my arms..._

…

_I think I started whispering words like "No" and "I can heal you." but I knew it'd be in vain. He was dying. _

_What stopped me from babbling like a fool was his smirk. "Happy now?" he coughed harshly, blood running down his chin. "Don't be an idiot." I whispered back. _

"_Hm, well, what do you know?" Suddenly, something hard slammed into my broken ribs. I released him and clutched at my chest, trying to breath. I raised my head. Madara stood over the cliff's edge, clutching his fan in shaking hand, eyes blazing with triumph. "I win." He said before throwing himself into the raging water below._

_I have many regrets in my life but the one I regret the most was letting him go. _

_I spent so many years thinking that no, Madara had to somehow survive, he was alive. A part of me I suppose will always believe that, even if common sense disagrees. Sometimes I thought I saw him, out of corner of my eye, a glimpse of his kimono, or a brief flash of red-blood eyes... Even though I knew it impossible I so much wanted to believe..._

_After our fight I felt hopelessly incomplete, as if Madara's death created a void in me that only he could fill. _

_And Uchiha... They were model shinobi. Madara was the only one that defected and I doubt anyone else would do that. They were trying so hard to show they were different from their previous leader I felt almost sick just talking to them. _

_And with each word they uttered against Madara, I hated them all the more._

_I'll never trust them. I don't even want to. People who denounce their roots are not worthy of respect. I hope, for their sake, a person strong enough to take their history and still be able to walk tall, without shame, will appear or their clan will become nothing but a post-colonial, spineless shadow of their former glory. _

_Someone like Madara?" _

* * *

„Hi there, Minato! How's my favorite Hokage do- _oh shit_."

_'Whoa, deja vu!' _thought Jiraiya in mild surprise.

Contrary to what his hair may have lead people to believe, Minato was normally an organized person. Sure, he was a far cry from obsessive-compulsive personality disorder but he was no slouch when it came to cleaning his piece. Obviously, this part of his character stretched also to his work.

That being said, it was totally understandable that Minato's office looked like it became a victim to four hurricane attacks, combined with at least two temper tantrums worthy of a Bijuu and one bad case of paper fixation. That was what he thought, taking notice of several post-in notes pinned down to every available surface.

Minato was sitting behind his desk and _man_, did he look awful. Jiraiya already heard from Kushina that her fiance barely left his office but this was ridiculous. Dark circles surrounded his eyes, his cheeks were sunken, skin pale. Despite that, his former student smiled brightly as he saw him, making his tired eyes twinkle with happiness. Jiraiya had to sigh mentally. Of course, Minato was the kind of a person that would sacrifice his health for the greater good.

"Wow... Your hair is... longer." Well, it was true enough. He tactfully omitted the "it's-obvious-they-didn't-see-a-comb-in-months" part. Minato laughed self-consciously and fingered one unruly lock.

"Yeah... Sorry about that. Once I get home, I'll do something with it."

_'And when is it going to be? Next year?' _thought Jiraiya bitterly.

"Anyway, please sit down, sensei." With that, Minato started pushing papers from the only other available chair in the room. Jiraiya raised an eyebrow as they fell on the floor in disarray. He half-expected Minato to sway on his feet and collapse but he knew he had more control than that. He gingerly sat and observed carefully his former student. He didn't like what he saw.

"I'm surprised though. I expected you to come somewhere around September. Have you already found something out?" Minato asked, sitting behind his desk. His fingers, probably unconsciously, started tapping the tabletop.

Jiraiya looked at him in worry as he slowly answered.

"Minato... It's September already." Fingers stilled for a moment before resuming their rhythm again.

"Is it?" Minato asked absentmindedly as his eyes flickered to the calendar. "My, time flies fast, doesn't it?" He paused awkwardly but then smiled. "Do you want some tea?"

Jiraiya watched him as Minato boiled the water. He half wanted to wrench the kettle from Minato's suspiciously steady hands and make the damn tea himself. He stopped himself just because he knew the other man would not stand for it.

"When was the last time you slept?" he couldn't help but ask. No matter how he appeared, Jiraiya could see the tense line of his shoulders and the way Minato moved without his usual fluidity as if gripped with foreign nervous energy. It didn't suit him at all.

Minato made a noncommittal noise as he handed him his cup before sitting down. "What do you mean? I sleep every night."

The Sannin rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure you do. For how long? One hour?" Minato stiffened and looked at him impassively. The smile was gone from his face. He said nothing.

Jiraiya sighed. "Listen, I'm not here to tell you how to live your life but I'm worried. I talked to Kushina earlier and-"

"_Sensei_." Minato cut him off. The other man narrowed his eyes. Minato's tone was cold, almost bordering on rude which was unlike him. Nevertheless, he fell silent.

Yondaime watched him carefully, before continuing in an odd, detached voice:

"You have news for me, do you not?"

Jiraiya instantly understood his play but it didn't mean he had to like it. However, the information he acquired during his travel was important enough that Minato was right to ask it from him first. Was it more important than lecturing his student that not taking a break would result in early death? For Jiraiya- yes, but Minato was always different from him in this regard. But then again, there was a reason why Minato had become Hokage and not him.

"Yes, well... Minato, this... this will be hard to believe but... Look, I'll start from the beginning." He pulled out a map of Five Great Ninja Countries and pointed at Earth Country. "It was my first stop. There was village around this area." He traced the only green part in Earth's border line. "A small mining town that was supposedly known for their gold. It was a fluke. In reality they used to mine iron ore." Their eyes met. Minato raised an eyebrow. "'Used to'?" Jiraiya shrugged. "Apparently, the mines were sold to some woman from the middle of nowhere. Strangely, no one seems to remember her face." He frowned. "Just that she had a cat with her." Minato's fingers started tapping again. Jiraiya continued. "It happened during the Third War. After that, the mines were closed but because the land stayed in that woman's possession, there was nothing the village could do."

"But they weren't truly closed, were they." Minato stated, rather than asked.

The Sannin nodded. "Yeah. They placed a barrier around it, but I've found their base. An active one, too. Any shinobi's field day- with all the weapons at their disposal." Minato wasn't looking at him now. He stared at something to his left, lost in thought, fingers still insistently tapping at his desk. "How much, do you think?" Jiraiya shook his head. "Thousands? Who knows? The thing is though, they don't transport them to Konoha, but to some remote location on the border of Waterfall Country, to a woman they call 'Neko-baa'."

"The woman with a cat." Minato muttered.

"That's my guess as well."

"Have you managed to track her down?"

He sighed. "No, sorry. I can't even give you her description, she's too well protected. However, there's something else." He hesitated. "Uchiha are working with some Iwagakure ninja." Minato snapped his head up to look him straight in the eye. Jiraiya shrugged. "I definitely saw them together, discussing business. I doubt the Iwa don't know who they're dealing with. I think the question remains if Tsuchikage is aware of this-"

"He isn't." Minato responded firmly, waving him off. The Sannin looked with surprise at Hokage. The other man elaborated. "I had enough time to get to know him during Kage Summits. He's barely managing to hold onto his power after Iwagakure's loss. He may be stubborn but he has sufficient amount of respect for Konoha and in my opinion? Under all that bravado, I think he secretly fears us, especially the Uchiha Clan. He wouldn't agree to an alliance with them."

"So... you think it's the other option." Jiraiya stated, not sounding surprised. It was his guess too.

"Yes." Minato leaned slightly back in his chair. His hands moved to rest on armchairs where they started tracing elaborate symbols on the wood. "It's more likely that these Iwa ninja hope to overthrow Onoki and seize control over the village. It's a normal occurrence when your country lost a war and your leader appears to be an senile old man who has been in power for a long time. They probably feel that a change of command is in order. It's quite natural thing to do."

"Yeah. Onoki's gonna eat them for breakfast." the Sannin remarked wryly.

"Most likely." Minato agreed. "The question remains though, what are the Uchiha playing at? Do they actually hope for a change in a government friendly to them to aid their clan when in need or are they playing on ditching them once they make enough weapons?"

"Why can't it be both?"Jiraiya shrugged. "Either way, it's win-win for them. They still get something out of this arrangement even if the other side fails to deliver." He paused for a moment. "Or they could be simply disrupting an enemy village from the inside. Remember, they already were there during the war- they could be just following orders from higher-ups."

"You mean," Minato raised en eyebrow. "they are weakening them both politically and economically by fueling their discontent and simultaneously depriving them from their resources?"

"Eh... yes?" Jiraiya answered hesitantly. Wow, Minato really liked using big words while running only on caffeine. "From our stand-point, it would be pretty stupid to give up such opportunity to drain an enemy from no loss on our side. Konoha doesn't really rest on iron ore, after all. Can't you check mission records or something?"

"Such a deep-cover mission would have a high level clearance. Only leader of ANBU would know about it. Unfortunately, majority of files I was supposed to acquire after taking control of the ANBU has... perished in an unlucky fire the day before the scheduled transfer." He gave some papers in a corner a dark look.

"Danzou?" the Sannin opted to ask.

"Who else?" Hokage snorted. "He can really hold a grudge."

"Tell me about it." Jiraiya muttered. "Or he just wanted to rid off the evidence of his illegal dealings."

"Obviously." Minato said, unconcerned. "That was one of the reasons I made Hokage the superior of the ANBU. Anyway, have you got anything else?"

"Yeah." Jiraiya once again bowed his head to the map. "There are other bases. All protected by barrier jutsu and other less pleasant tricks. I didn't have time to check them all, however I didn't notice any activity around them. Still, there's a few of them." He pointed at the map. "Most of them is placed in those small countries on our northern border, the rest is either on the borders of Wind and Earth country or Wind and Rivers. Sorry I didn't have enough time to check Land of Lightening-"

"What about Amegakure?" Minato asked. Jiraiya bit his lower lip.

"Minato, sorry but I-"

"I understand." Hokage snapped suddenly. He fixed his teacher with sympathetic look. "I was in Ame shortly for a meeting with Hanzou. He... changed since the last time we met." Minato frowned. "He didn't say of course, but I think he has a rebellion on his hands. He turned very paranoid."

"Maybe he's just careful?" Jiraiya was surprised. He didn't remember Hanzou being obsessed with protection when he had taken on Tsunade, Orochimaru and Jiraiya himself plus their squadrons armed only with his salamander with no back-up.

_'Minato must be-'_

"Do you think having their food, made by personal cook no less, tasted by four people and eventually thrown away just to make it themselves falls under 'careful'?"

_'-absolutely-friggin-right.' _

"... War does strange things to men." Jiraiya answered diplomatically.

"Not any war. _Civil_ war." Minato clarified. "It's a pity you didn't check it out, maybe we would have known more about it..."

"Yes, well, what can I say?" the Sannin held up his hands in mock-surrender. "It's not easy for me to return there." Minato shook his head but let the matter drop. "What about Water Country?"

"Now, that's the interesting bit." Jiraiya grinned. "There was no Uchiha in Water Country. None. Zero. Nil. Nada. I guess they still didn't manage to infiltrate them though it's probably only a matter of time."

"Hm." Minato leaned forward to look intently at the map. "This doesn't make sense." the Sannin heard him whisper. Then, as if in realization, he muttered: "This is bad."

"Bad?" Jiraiya stared uncomprehendingly at the other. "How's that bad, exactly?"

"Look." Namikaze said impatiently. "All these Uchiha bases you found were hidden and protected, right? The only one that was known by locals was the one in Earth Country and it was mostly due to the fact that they are working together to overthrown the current establishment. You found traces of them in every country except this one. Doesn't it strike you as odd?"

"Okay." Jiraiya nodded hesitantly. "So what do you think it means?"

Minato sighed. "Either it's nothing or Uchiha in Water Country don't have any reason to hide."

"You mean that the Mizukage approves of whatever they are doing?" the Sannin exclaimed incredulously.

Minato shrugged. "It's a possibility."

"I'd be damned." Jiraiya breathed, rubbing his temples with a long-suffering sigh of a man too old for this shit. "You know, now that I think of it, there was something not quite right about this country." He looked seriously at Minato. "Remember that two weeks ago, Kirigakure appointed the new Mizukage... Yagura, I think?" Namikaze nodded, rolling his eyes in the process. "It's said the Third Mizukage stepped down from his post and left it to the new generation. Well, that's not exactly what common folks believe. They think that he not so much as stepped down as was... assassinated." At this Minato's eyes widened. Jiraiya continued.

"But that wasn't what I found odd. It's the way they spoke of him... As if they were almost glad that someone offed him."

"Yes, that's strange." Minato frowned, his blue eyes darting to one of the corners where a stack of old newspapers was placed. "As I remember, he was quite liked and respected." the Sannin raised one skeptic eyebrow.

"And how do you know that?"

"I read civilian newspapers. You wouldn't believe how much they are aware of shinobi secret dealings." Minato shrugged. "Granted, this information comes from few years ago so a lot could have changed..."

"Hm, maybe but... I've- _ekhm_- been to Land of Water once or twice-" he pointedly ignored Minato's snickering about 'hot dates'. "-and I too don't recall such hatred directed at Mizukage. If anything, it seems it's a very recent thing. The problem is though, when I asked why exactly was Mizukage so despised, no one could give me a straight answer. Everyone just prattled on how much they hated him and how great it is he's gone."

"But what could be possibly gained from all of this?" Minato wondered, deep in concentration.

"Well, the Third was renown for his genjutsu abilities. He was considered a master. He even gave seminars on biological effects of illusion techniques. Makes sense to get rid off him when taking over a country." Jiraiya pointed out.

"And so they switched to a Jinchuuriki? A Jinchuuriki who has full control of their Bijuu? That's just as effective against genjutsu as being a master. Unless..." here Minato trailed off, a peculiar expression on his face.

"What? What is it?" Not getting an answer, Jiraiya snapped his fingers before young Hokage's face. "Oi! Damnit, Minato, stop being all secretive, you don't have the looks anyway." Minato muttered something censored under his breath and said slowly: "I just remembered... Obito... Well, you know how he loved to brag about his clan? He once said... at that time we thought he was just exaggerating like always but now..." the Sannin waited patiently, letting the other man gather his thoughts. "He said: 'When I awaken my Sharingan, I'll control Tailed Beasts.'" the two man looked at each other in silence.

"Minato, listen... I've never heard Sharingan do this. I've never heard of anyone... Okay," Jiraiya seemed to concede. "Shodai could. Fine, maybe- and that's a capital "M"- Madara could as well. But that's it. I severely doubt any _current_ Uchiha is able to do that. No way."

Minato didn't answer. His fingers once again started tapping. Jiraiya gritted his teeth. "Look, you're exhausted. You need a break. Give _this case_ a break- like five days. You're useless if you started suspecting a dead guy."

His concern was met with a scowl. "Sensei-"

"No." Jiraiya said firmly. "You may be Hokage but you're still my student and I care about you. It's no use if you drop dead before you crack this mess. Not to mention," He fixed his student with a glare. "you have a very pregnant fiancee at home. Don't you think you should take care of her and _your _baby? What the hell, Minato?" His gaze softened slightly upon seeing a stricken look on Minato's face. He knew the boy meant well, but some things should take priority.

_'Gods, Minato. Why such hurry? It's not like you are going anywhere any time soon.'_

"Look," He said neutrally. "I'm not saying this doesn't stink- if they could smell it from Kumogakure, I wouldn't be surprised- but it doesn't mean you can just ignore Kushina. She worries about you, you know." Minato sighed.

He began hoarsely: "You're right... We could..." He cleared his throat. "We could go tomorrow... or today," he said looking at the clock. "for a dinner. Just the three of us- Kushina, you and me. What do you think?" He smiled at his teacher a little shyly, not sure if he was forgiven.

Jiraiya beamed: "Awesome! That's what we needed. By the way, I have this book I'd like you to read... "

* * *

It was already past 2 am when Minato finally returned home.

He tiredly stroked his left temple, feeling the pounding against his skull lessen. Barely.

_'I wonder if one more sleepless night would hurt me...' _

And just like that, his shoulders collapsed under the combination of guilt, anger, disappointment and sheer exhaustion. He swayed slightly, moving with mild difficulty towards the bedroom. He was half-aware of taking off his vest and shoes but he didn't care about anything else. It'd be not the first time he slept in his clothes. He leaned heavily at the door and pushed it open.

He expected that sight but somehow he felt it would always catch him by surprise and awe.

Kushina was sound asleep, laying on her side, back turned to him. Her long hair was spread haphazardly on the pillow, her expression peaceful, serene. Minato focused on her face, drinking the sight of her as if it was his last night among the living. She was his anchor, his equal and _damnit-all_, he couldn't imagine life without her by his side.

Sometimes he wondered what did she see in him, him- Namikaze Minato from Konoha, the boring guy who preached a lot about good and wrong, and couldn't say 'no' to any request directed at him. The guy who put his work before his pregnant love and _why Kushina, when you deserve so much more, you deserve a man who would appreciate you..._

Minato shook his head to clear his depressing thoughts. It was his tiredness speaking, nothing more, he reassured himself.

In the bed, Kushina shivered, the cover exposing her pale arm. She hated cold, she always liked to be tucked in thoroughly and roll around the bed, wrapped in her thickest duvet. Minato smiled fondly as he walked soundlessly into the room. He reached for the offending material and covered her bare arm. She didn't stir but once Minato slipped next to her under the covers, her eyes fluttered open. She mumbled sleepily: "Minato?"

"Shh." he reassured her, kissing her shoulder softly. "Yes, it's me. Go to sleep."

"Mmm." Kushina seemed to agree as she settled comfortably against him. She took his hand and placed it on her round stomach, making a content sound as he gently stroked it. When Minato was sure she was asleep, Kushina spoke:

"I know you can't tell me everything. I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with, _no_, please let me finish-" she said quickly when she heard Minato shift against her back. "I _know_ and _understand_ but please, don't... Don't shut yourself from me." She laced their fingers together. "I'm right here, always at your side, so please... don't carry this weight alone."

Minato closed his eyes and buried his face into red hair on the pillow beside him. He inhaled unevenly and thought he could smell wind, water and wild flowers in them even though it was impossible because Kushina didn't use scented shampoos, no ninja worth their salt used them. He felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes but managed to swallow down a sob that threatened to leave his throat the moment his fiancee spoke.

He wished to tell her everything, needed to come clean with her, speak about his doubts, his fears, his uncertainty, because _damnit, what if he's wrong, what if he screws this all up, if he's too weak to fix it, if he's too slow, what if... _

He opened his mouth and there was that moment, fleeting really, just a second of time when his hand tightened around Kushina's slim fingers and he-

"I know. I know."

-_lied _because that was who he was, what he was made to be. He took a raspy breath and fought the moisture in his eyes away because it was safe now- Kushina's soft snoring assured him she would never see his weakness.

And so he would continue as always, the perfect image of a Hokage his people needed, the image of a fearless and doubtless leader, the image of a strong man Kushina needed...

And maybe his doubt, his guilt, his fear would disappear like they were never there.

_'I'm sorry. I'm sorry.'_

* * *

_**A/N:** _So, have I ever told you, I love you guys? You're seriously the best! It makes me all warm and tingly to see your review and favs and alerts so please, carry on! Maybe we'll reach 100 reviews? *giggles incontrolably*

Anyway, that's nearly it. The next chapter will be the last. There might be an epilogue which will serve as a tie-in with this story sequel. I don't know when the next chapter's gonna be and I'm not sure when the sequel will be posted- it mostly depends on Kishi's work. Though I suppose the sequel won't be so long as this one.

So, about the chapter 599 of Naruto (or a "Three-Words-Chapter": ... Geez, Kishi's not even trying is he? XD

Alright, it's 2 am here so I take my leave.

See ya!


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